A Changed Miko
by BrokenSouledPoetess
Summary: A weeks break from a foulmouthed hanyou has Kagome more than pleased. However, said hanyou is unable to maintain his distance despite her stern warning. What will happen when such blatant disregard ends with almost irreparable damage?
1. Chapter 1

"Ahhh! One whole week of freedom!" Kagome exclaimed as she stepped out into the sunshine. "Thank Kami!" She added as an afterthought as she began hopping down the stairs in front of her shrine, making her way to the sidewalk.

Flashback

"Inuyasha?" Kagome said timidly as she, Sango and Miroku approached the tree in which the inu hanyou was currently perched.

"Before you even ask, the answer is no. We have shards to hunt." Inuyasha responded, not even bothering to open his eyes. Had he taken the time to do so, he would have noticed his other two companions standing alongside Kagome.

Kagome was already feeling the first flutterings of anger rising. He always threw a fit when she wanted to go home, but this time, she wasn't the only one.

"Inuyasha! No one has seen or heard anything from Naraku for over a year and we have all the shards that aren't held by Kouga and Naraku! There isn't any reason why we all need to sit around and there are things the three of us would like to attend to!" Kagome replied, gritting her teeth to try and keep her cool just a little longer.

"What! The **three** of you!" Inuyasha roared almost falling from his tree.

Miroku looked to Kagome and saw her seething with barely controlled rage and decided to try his hand with the uncooperative hanyou. "Inuyasha, Lady Sango has heard of a Taijia village further to the south that she would like to visit, Lady Kagome would like to spend some time in her own era and I really need to pay a visit to Mushin. It only makes sense for us to go now while there is little transpiring."

Now, Inuyasha had been mad before…plenty of times. It always irritated him that Kagome constantly wanted to go home and he never failed to start a fight with her over it. This time, he knew he wouldn't get away with it. It wasn't just that stupid wench asking to leave, but the demon slayer and that hentai houshi wanted to go too!

He knew he wouldn't win an argument if it came down to it. "The usual three days?" He asked hopefully, even though he had a feeling it would be longer.

"Actually, I will be gone for at least a week, and I believe Miroku will be gone just as long, if not longer." Sango replied quietly. She wasn't scared of the hanyou, but she really didn't want to argue with him over something so trivial.

The inu hanyou's eye started twitching. He was down right pissed off. "A week! You are all leaving for an entire week!" Inuyasha exclaimed as he jumped down from his tree. "What the hell am I supposed to do for a week?"

"Well, Shippou is staying with Lady Kaede and I am sure she could find something for you to do." Kagome stated sweetly. She knew he was angry, but it didn't matter. They all had things to attend to and while she normally was only gone for two or three days, she planned to take full advantage of the extended leave.

"Feh! You think I am just going to hang around this stupid village, wench?" The hanyou growled.

Kagome leaned forward towards Inuyasha with a sweet smile on her face. Seeing this, Miroku and Sango took a step back.

"Inuyasha," Kagome said in a voice sweet enough to make teeth rot, "Sit boy!"

With that, the three friends turned back to Kaede's hut to gather their things.

End Flashback

Kagome smiled brightly, lifting her face to the sun. It had been 4 years since she had first started traveling to the past and although she loved the simple beauty of a time untouched by technology, she still relished her time at home.

Letting her smile remain on her face, Kagome turned on the discman she had strapped to her hip as her feet hit the sidewalk at the bottom of the shrine steps. It was a beautiful day and she was fully intending on enjoying it. It had been over a year since she had quit wearing her school uniform altogether. She had realized some time back that it really wasn't practical or modest enough for the Sengoku Jidai and had started wearing kimonos for her trips to the past and more 'modern' clothes while she was at home.

The last of her better looking kimonos had been shredded the day before her return from the Warring States while she and the gang had fought a lower level demon that thought to attack Kaede's village. Replacing the ones she had lost was her main priority for the day.

She stopped after a few steps on the sidewalk to change the song she was listening to. Quickly shuffling tracks, she found one that better suited her mood and the day, and with that, resumed her walking.

"This sucks! I can't believe how long it's been since we have had a mission!" Yusuke huffed as the group walked down the sidewalk.

It had been over 2 months since the Spirit Detectives had been sent on a mission. At first, they all enjoyed the lapse in activity and took advantage of the time off. Yusuke and Keiko had grown closer since he could actually make all of their dates. Kuwabara had spent even more time at Genkai's shrine, pining over Yukina and trying to win her heart. Kurama used the time to tend, and expand, the garden he had started outside his apartment and Hiei left for undetermined amounts of time to the Makai.

"I never thought I would see the day when Yusuke Urameshi whined about his lack of work!" Kurama said in his soft, seductive voice. This caused Kuwabara to nearly double over with laughter and even earned an amused "Hn." from Hiei.

"Hey! Just what is that supposed to mean!" Yusuke fumed. "Are you calling me lazy fox?"

The group continued their banter as they walked along the sidewalk. They had just spent some time wandering around the mall and were on their way to their respective residences. So caught up in what they were 'discussing' they hadn't yet noticed the young woman that was heading in their direction.

With the mall set in her mind as her destination, Kagome began to dance slightly along with the music that blared through her headphones. Her waist length, blue-black hair swayed as the wind caught it, almost in time with her hips as she danced. Her sapphire eyes would open and close momentarily just to make sure she was still going where she intended.

During a moment where her eyes had been closed, Kagome felt a sudden surge of youki and spiritual energy. She stopped in her tracks, turned her music down and sat upon a bench a foot away. She then lowered her headphones, leaving them to hang around her neck, and closed her eyes once more.

No sooner had her eyes closed, and Kagome knew that the energy she felt was around 50 feet or so in front of her, on the sidewalk she was trekking. She focused on the group of young men currently approaching her at a leisurely pace.

She almost laughed at the odd assortment of characters until she remembered her own rag-tag group from the past.

While all four appeared human, there was only one who had pure human blood, this being the tallest (and least attractive) of the group. He was around 6'3 with orange hair worn in an Elvis-esque haircut and small brown eyes. He had an enormous amount of spiritual energy and a kind hearted aura.

The next member of the group is a young man around 5'8 with black, slicked back hair, brown eyes and an aura that reminded Kagome of Inuyasha. She could sense he had demon blood, but not quite enough to make him a hanyou.

Thirdly, her eyes fell upon a man who could almost rival Lord Sesshoumaru in masculine beauty. He had gorgeous, almost unnatural, red hair and dancing green eyes. He seemed to be human, but Kagome was able to sense a strong youkai presence within him as well…how odd. This one made Kagome think of what Shippou might be like when he gets to be grown up…both for his aura and his eyes.

The last, but certainly not least, form she studied was by far the most intriguing. He had the strongest demon energy of the group and his aura seethed with conflict. He only stood around 5'0 but Kagome could tell, he was the last of the group to trifle with. His aura screamed power, ruthlessness, and, oddly, sorrow. He had black hair with a white starburst pattern that seems to want nothing to do with gravity and crimson eyes.

Having made her assessments and having found nothing outwardly malicious, Kagome decided to continue her walk and test them a little while she is at it.


	2. Chapter 2

I wanted to thank **baka** **kitsune** and **deafening** **silence** for picking up on my 'tense' mistake. I was tired when I wrote that first chapter and my brain kind of went backwards on me. I fixed it though!

Kagome had long ago learned how to put up barriers that guarded both her scent and her energy, finding both necessary while traveling in the Feudal Era. She had made it a habit to keep them up at all times, even when she was in her own era. Kagome had come to this decision one day a year or so back when she had felt the presence of a demon in her time. Upon feeling that familiar presence, Kagome had started taking more time observing others and found that there were more demons around than she ever would have guessed otherwise.

Now, she was thankful to have learned that lesson. It was going to make this little 'test' of hers all the easier…and more amusing.

She really didn't want to do it for simple amusement though. Kagome was honestly intrigued by the group and wanted to see what their reactions would be. She knew how demons reacted to her energy, and oddly enough, her scent, back in the Sengoku Jidai and she was truly curious as to whether or not they would recognize it at all. The priestess knew they would identify her spiritual energy because of the amount the group possessed.

What Kagome really wanted to know, was whether or not they would pick up on, and react to, her holy powers. She had learned through her last history course in high school that the line of powerful miko was thought to be long since deceased, having ended with Kikyou. Sure, there were a few more generations of monks and miko to come up through the ages, but none nearly as formidable as Kikyou had been; and **none**, she was told, that could even hold a candle to the power that resided in her.

Kagome shook her head to clear her momentary minute of self-introspection and re-focused on the task at hand. She looked ahead of her to assure that her intended 'prey' was still walking towards her. She smiled inwardly at her choice of terminology and nodded in satisfaction to see that the entire group was still carrying on, none the wiser.

She resumed her pace and replaced the headphones on her ears, seeming to once again become lost in the music. Kagome felt her breathe hitch in her chest slightly as she neared the ever-closer group. From afar, she hadn't really been able to make out the individual features of the young men, but now she was close enough to them that she was glad her scent was hidden, for she was sure that the demon members would have been able to easily pick up on what was currently running through her mind.

Especially as she eyed the two in the back of the group…which happened to be the two she should be most afraid of.

As she continued her walk, she readied herself to drop her barriers and as she got closer to them, the group of four parted to let her pass. Once she was in the middle of the group, she dropped all of her barriers for a fraction of a second and then recovered them.

She heard a collective intake of breathe and felt the four stop dead in their tracks, which proved to her that they had at least picked up on something from her. She kept the pace she had set and made her way to the bus stop at the corner of the block. Kagome had only stood there for a matter of seconds, though to her it felt like hours, before the bus pulled to a stop and allowed her to board.

As her foot made connection with the first of three steps, she heard a voice from the sidewalk.

"Hey Urameshi! What in the hell was that?"

Kagome had to stifle a small chuckle when she glanced out the window towards the sidewalk as she took her seat. All four were still standing stock still, though the redhead seemed to have taken a step in the direction she had left. She could hear them talking, and bickering, about what exactly they had felt through the open window next to her seat before the bus was in motion.

The group had kept up a leisurely pace of walking so it wasn't slowed by their normal banter. As they continued to walk, the two in the lead, Yusuke and Kuwabara, had noticed a young woman walking in their direction. She seemed to be lost in her own little world, so the two moved to either side of the sidewalk to let her pass, trusting the demons behind them to follow suit.

As the four fell away to let the young woman pass, they all felt a sudden jolt of power. It was gone as quickly as it had come, leaving them all to wonder if they had truly felt it to begin with. They all stood frozen in their places at the unfamiliar feeling. Every member of the group had felt large amounts of spiritual power, especially in their continual dealings with Koenma. After all, he _was_ the prince of Reikai! However, nothing could have prepared any of them for the feeling that radiated around the group.

Kuwabara, of course, was the first to verbally acknowledge that something was odd in his less than tactful way. "Hey Urameshi! What in the hell was that?" He asked in his overly loud, and obnoxious, voice that startled the remaining group members out of their trances.

Instead of slugging the baka for being so incredibly loud, Yusuke found that he was completely astounded. He knew that his own spiritual energy and that of Kuwabara were extremely strong, but the aura that had touched him was so much more! It left him speechless for once, which did not go unnoticed by the others.

While the humans were discussing the energy they had felt, the demons were pondering over something much more interesting. Sure, the sheer _amount_ of energy that poured off of that girl was numbing. Not only did she possess unusually high _spirit_ energy, but she had an enormous amount of _holy_ powers that had not been known of in centuries!

And while the depths and complexities of her powers were definitely something to be pondered over, Kurama and Hiei were struggling over her scent. They had both noticed the power that had rippled throughout the girls' aura, but it was even more pronounced in her scent. She smelled of lavender and vanilla that teased their senses. That soothing fragrance was overlapped with power, innocence and purity.

The purity was the most intriguing part of the smell that could only ever be that girl. It was strong, true and untainted. Such purity was not known to exist anywhere, but they had _felt_ it pour off that woman's body in a wave that left them both weak.

'Did she do that on purpose? I wonder?' Kurama thought, knowing Hiei would pick it up.

'Hn. I don't know'

'_Of course she did! Didn't you feel it Red? She dropped all of her barriers at once and then put them into place before we could even blink! She knew there were demons among our group!_ Youko said, almost purring in the minds of the two. He was beyond pleased to know that there was someone in this era capable of that kind of power. He had thought all miko of that strength to have been dead long ago.

'It would seem that the fox is correct.'

'How is it possible for a girl no older than us to do that? Her power exceeds anything I have ever experienced, she was able to completely hide from us until she wished us to know of her, and she had released her scent from its barriers as well as her powers, knowing there were demons to pick it up?'

'_She did all that and then some Red. She has the humans confused over her spiritual powers alone. They don't know of her holy powers, because they have never been privileged to feel such a thing.'_

'Too bad she left in such a hurry and we were unable to stop her. I would be most interested to find out more about her.'

'_You and me both Red. Aside from all that power, she was damn fine looking! I wonder if her powers seep into everything she does?'_

'Fox, I really do not need to hear thoughts such as those.' Hiei shook his head and closed the mind link to his partner. He hated to admit it, but the fox had voiced some of his own thoughts.

Kurama felt the link close and sighed. He was completely intrigued by what had just happened and was intent on staying in that very vicinity. He knew she would be back again and he intended to be prepared. Plans were already starting to form in his head of hiding his own youki and scent and simply waiting.

Little did he know, Hiei had come to the same decision and was currently eyeing a nearby tree in which to wait for her return. That girl had been brave to show herself to unknown demonic presences and he wondered if she would be that brave again when approached.

"Do you guys have any idea what that was about? Did all of that energy come from that one girl?" Yusuke asked, for once his normally crude, demanding attitude forgotten. He knew that he had Keiko and he was pretty sure he loved her, but that woman was just…amazing to him. He had never felt power like that before, and it humbled him.

"Yeah! I think she was even stronger than Koenma! Not to mention pretty…almost prettier than my lovely Yukina." Kuwabara stated with stars already forming in his eyes, completely unaware of the barely audible growl that came from Hiei at the mention of his sister.

"I honestly do not know. I myself have never felt anything like it; however, Youko seemed to at least recognize that _kind_ of power, so it is possible she could be a miko." Kurama voiced, unsure as to whether or not either Yusuke or Kuwabara had paid attention to the history teacher when he had covered this subject in school.

Yusuke proved to be smarter than he thought while Kuwabara was standing in a daze, dreaming over beautiful females. "I thought the miko line died out a long time ago! How is it possible that she is one?"

"Hn. So you do pay attention at times detective." Hiei stated, almost allowing a hint of amusement to pass through.

"I don't know that either Yusuke, but I do plan to wait right here for awhile to see if she passes by again. I would be most interested to find out more about her." Kurama stated all of this in his usual, soft voice, even though it betrayed the excitement he could feel welling up inside of him at the prospect of a very, 'ahem', _interesting_ puzzle to solve.

Yusuke and Kuwabara just nodded and Hiei remained quiet. He should have known that the fox wouldn't pass up something like this and resigned himself to the fact that he would be spending more time with Kurama this evening. The fire apparition enjoyed the presence of the fox for the most part, but right now Hiei was seriously wishing he could be left alone for the evening.

With a punch to the shoulder, Yusuke woke Kuwabara up from his daydreaming. "Well then, we will be on our way. Call me if you find out anything more, Kurama." And with that, the humans disappeared leaving the remaining members of the group alone with their thoughts.


	3. Chapter 3

Kagome arrived at the mall 20 minutes later. She hadn't intended on taking the bus originally, much preferring to walk since it was a beautiful day, but she didn't really want to be that accessible to her 'test subjects' just yet. Oh she would meet them again, of that she was certain.

Her mind had wandered to them through the entirety of her short bus ride. Kagome knew that as soon as the barrier around her scent had dropped, the demons picked up on it. She heard them both tentatively sniff the air around her person and could feel a change in their auras. Something like a mixture of shock, recognition and brief attraction flitted through in a fraction of a second. That had been the clincher in her decision to board the bus.

The more she thought it over, the more Kagome wondered why exactly she had even done such a bold thing. She had courage and bravery both, but to openly tempt youkai, and ones as powerful as those two, seemed beyond something she would do. She had to admit though, that she was still the playful girl she had always been and something inside her said to just go for it. So she did.

Kagome was knocked from her reverie when she was bumped into and realized that she had already entered the main part of the mall. She shook the errant thoughts from her mind and focused on her goal: kimonos and supplies.

Kurama sat upon a bench under a tree next to the very spot where he had 'met' her. He had met plenty of women and been forced to endure his very own 'fan club' all throughout high school. Kurama was quiet by nature and wasn't big on having attention lavished on him. He was well aware of his looks, which Youko had said were so good because of the fox himself, and knew he attracted attention.

As he thought of all those girls from school and the women he came across now, he realized that none of them had sparked even the tiniest amount of interest in him. At first, he almost thought there was something wrong with him and so did his peers. Some even went so far as to say that he was gay because he hadn't taken a girlfriend at all.

The redhead sighed. He had only caught a brief glimpse of this girl and was already stalking her. He didn't feel as bad as he thought he should though. After all, the emotionally constipated fire demon that was his partner was also lurking about.

'Hn. I am not that bad. I simply choose not to show my emotions. And I am not stalking'

Kurama smiled into the tree in which he knew his friend to be perched. "Why exactly are you here anyway? It seems odd for you to care about anything really, let a lone a human female."

'I do not 'care' for her fox. I am simply intrigued. As you have deduced, she is an enigma. I did not think it possible for a miko of her power to exist. Not only that, but I am sure she is not on Reikai's radar.'

"I am sure you are correct on that assumption. The fact of her obvious control over her powers is proof of that. If Koenma knew that such a being –a _human_ being- existed, she would have been under close surveillance for the entirety of her life." As that statement left his lips, he could have sworn he heard a low growl from the tree in which Hiei was currently situated.

'If you are going to stay here and wait, fox, I am going to roam about. While it is likely for her to return the way she came, it is also possible that she will not. I intend to keep an eye on the immediate area.' With that, the link was closed and Hiei was off.

She sighed heavily for the fifth time in so many minutes. Kagome used to love shopping back when she was 15, but now it held little, or no, splendor. She had already purchased 7 new kimonos, 3 of them modified slightly for fighting, 3 that were more traditional and one traditional one for Sango, another round of bathing supplies, enough Ramen to last InuYasha at least another month, pocky and chocolate for Shippou, a beautiful rhinestone collar for Kirara and had even found a collection of scrolls for Miroku.

All in all, she was exhausted. She sat in a pile of various sized bags as she struggled to get up enough energy to go get some food. It was well past lunch time and she was starved. With yet another sigh, Kagome stood up, stretched and made her way over to the nearest pizza place.

After polishing off two pieces of pizza and downing her large coke, Kagome was finally starting to feel a little more normal. She sat a moment longer and began rearranging all her purchases. Kagome had just purchased a new messenger style bag to replace her yellow backpack. She had replaced that one backpack at least 10 times since she began traveling to the past and finally decided that she needed something a little sturdier. She began packing it full of everything she would take back with her, making sure to leave the gifts for her friends at the top.

20 minutes later, Kagome had everything rearranged so that it would be easier to carry. She had originally planned to take the bus again, but decided instead to opt for a taxi. She made her way to the payphones nearby and called for a cab, then went outside and waited. Soon after she had exited the building, a bright yellow taxi pulled up in front of her. The driver stepped out to open her door for her and closed it again once she was settled.

Kagome gave the address to the driver and they were off. They made it to the shrine in 15 minutes flat. After paying the cabbie and giving him a nice tip, Kagome stumbled up the long line of stairs to her house.

Once she set foot on the grounds of the shrine, she felt the pull of magic from the well and instantly felt Inuyasha's aura.


	4. Chapter 4

Well, I was honestly expecting a little fire for the last chapter because of the lack of serious action and all I got was a slight growl from someone saying it was too short! I had honestly intended to make it longer, but my muse left me and my mind didn't want to stay awake. I would like to apologize though, for the previous chapter. It really didn't have much for action, but I like stories to be just that…stories. I think they should have storyline. I have read some fanfics that had great potential, but not really enough substance to them; however, if this becomes boring at any point in time, please do let me know…in a **nice** way!

I am also trying my hardest to make sure the characters aren't really too OOC. There will be a certain amount of OOC-ness in later chapters, but for very good reasons.

Thanks again to all who have reviewed. Without your lovin' I would have quit this fic.

Hiei bounded through the trees with catlike grace and utmost stealth. He had only gotten about 4 blocks away from his original position when he felt an odd sort of magic. He slowed his pace and descended down the nearest tree. Once he was underneath the trees, Hiei noticed that he was at a shrine. Quietly, the fire youkai jumped down from the tree he was in and began to roam around. He felt the pull of magic coming from an old well house.

Walking up to the weathered building, he opened his Jagan and was confronted with nothing more than an ancient, but strong, energy signature. He thought it odd for a well house to covet such energy and was just about to investigate, when it hit him. That scent! He sniffed at the air lightly and caught the barest hint of the girl that had come upon the Spirit Detectives earlier that day. It was faint and old, but there nonetheless. Whether he wanted to admit it or not, that smell had been burned into his memory simply for its uniqueness.

Slowly making his way towards the back of the house, Hiei followed his nose that was lost in the scent of the girl. Once behind the residence, he bound up a tree that was close to an open window. Hiei quietly made his way across the roof to the open window. He briefly opened his senses to check the house and, finding that no one was home, made his way inside.

He hadn't really thought through his plan of action and was therefore surprised when the room he entered was saturated with the scent he had been following. He slowly walked around the room and stopped at a desk in the corner. Lifting up a notebook from the top, he thumbed through the pages. Finding nothing of help or interest, he almost closed the book when his fingers slipped over one more page. His ruby eyes caught something before it could close completely and when he flipped the page open fully, he realized he found what he wanted…her name.

'…Kagome…'

Hiei smiled inwardly. Her name was unusual…just as she obviously was and so it suited her perfectly. He closed the notebook and placed it back on the desk, careful to make sure it wasn't moved enough to be noticed. Hiei then made his way to her closet, which stood slightly ajar, and peered in. Deciding it was safe since the house was empty, he opened the door fully and was slightly shocked with what he found.

There, hanging on the inside of the closet door, was a beautiful box, a quiver of arrows and a finely made katana. He gently lifted the katana from its place and examined it. The blade was finely honed and razor sharp with the kanji for 'Guardian' etched close to the hilt. An image of the girl whom this expertly crafted weapon belonged to, flashed across his mind and he wondered how well she could handle the blade.

Replacing the weapon to its resting place on the door and closing it slightly, Hiei went to the window and made his way into the night – back to the waiting fox a few blocks away.

Kurama sighed heavily into the waning hours of the afternoon. He had been sitting on that Kami forsaken bench for entirely too long and was beginning to feel restless. Hiei had left almost an hour previous and had yet to return or report anything to him. The redhead wasn't worried really, just miffed. He knew that the fire demon wouldn't be taking so long unless he had found something and it irked both spirits of the fox that they hadn't heard anything.

'Pouting is not very becoming of you fox.'

The poor young man nearly fell of the bench at the sudden intrusion upon his own self-pity. He quickly regained his demeanor, and position upon said bench, and looked up into the tree that assumed Hiei to be in. "You know, you might have just taken a few years off of my life. Where have you been?"

'Hn. You will live. I have found where the miko resides and found some interesting things.'

_Oooooh. Do tell! I hope you found some **good** interesting things!_

Kurama looked up to the tree apologetically and gave the silent urge to continue.

The fire youkai then recounted all he had found, from the ancient magic surrounding the well house to the katana in her closet. He left out her name though, for reasons not entirely clear even to him.

The fox rolled the information over in his mind. The girl lived at a shrine, which would solidify their previous theory of her being a priestess. The well house and katana were definitely interesting parts to the story. Just as he was about to enter a deeper realm of thought processes, he felt a small tingling up his spine. The tingling of magic.

'Fox! The magic of the well! Follow me.' With that, Hiei was once again a blur of black and white. He wanted to hurry as much as possible to see what happened when the magic was activated, but he held himself back so he would not lose his partner. Hiei knew the fox was fast, or could be, but being in his human form held back much of his speed.

Hiei arrived at the shrine grounds scant seconds later and the fox was on his heels. As soon as their feet touched the ground, they felt the magic dissipate into nothingness. Immediately thereafter, both demons felt the presence of another…an inu hanyou. At the same time the half-breed made his presence known, a taxi pulled up at the front of the shrine and out stepped none other than the one they had been waiting for.

'…Kagome…'

Kurama shot a somewhat concerned look to his partner, "Shouldn't we go help her? What if that demon attacks her?"

'And what if he does? I would like to see if she can handle herself. Come. Let us get a better vantage point.' Hiei sent to Kurama and bounded into the trees, leading the way to a tree on the shrine grounds.

About five minutes later, they saw an exhausted priestess reach the top step and collapse in a heap. As soon as she hit the rocky ground, the inu hanyou stood before her.

The youkai in the tree tensed, not knowing what to expect.

"Oi wench! What are you doing just sitting there? It can't be too comfortable. You take forever to make it up those stairs!" Inuyasha huffed. True, Kagome had only been gone two days, but he was bored and decided to go to the future and check up on his shard detector.

"Inuyasha" Kagome ground out, "Sit boy!" The effect was instantaneous and the hanyou once again met up with his old friend, the ground.

"Bitch. What was that for?" Inuyasha growled from his place on the ground.

"Where should I start? Let's see…" She began, ticking off her fingers one at a time. "I have only been gone two days and you are already here, and I am **not** going back yet." One… "You could have come down and helped me with some of this stuff, since there **is** ramen in here and it is mostly for you." Two… "And somehow, you seemed to have forgotten that my name is Kagome! Ka-go-me! Not wench, bitch or anything else!" Three…and she was pissed.

Inuyasha took one look at the girl from his place on the ground and visibly winced. His subjugation spell had long since worn off, but he could tell Kagome was mad and thought he might as well stay where he was. The hanyou began counting down in his head, 5…4…3…2…1…

"Sit boy! Sit, sit, sit, SIT!" Kagome screamed as she stood up, gathered her shopping bags and stormed in the house, mumbling something unintelligible about a 'baka hanyou'.

The half-demon cringed as he felt his body driven into the ground; however he was somewhat relieved when she stopped before his back broke. He knew he should have kept his mouth shut, but hindsight is always 20/20. Inuyasha just lay there in the dog shaped crater and waited for the spell to wear off.

As soon as he could move again, Inuyasha jumped up and sped off towards the house. Reaching the front door, he carefully opened it and stepped inside. He sniffed at the air lightly and knew Kagome had gone to her room. The hanyou jumped up the stairs and made his way towards the bedroom which was Kagome's and waited outside her door.

"Come in Inuyasha. I know you're out there!" Kagome said tiredness and sorrow tinting her voice. She was completely exhausted from all the walking and shopping she had done and just wanted to take a long hot bath. The girl knew the hanyou wouldn't just leave, so she sighed with resignation, knowing she would have to take her bath with him waiting for her. She stood as the door to her room opened and made her way to the adjoining bathroom to start her tub filling.

Once she had the temperature set, Kagome added some lavender scented bath gel and stepped back into her room. She eyed the hanyou sitting on her bed warily before sitting down next to him and stretching across her bed.

Inuyasha cringed at the sadness that laced the girls' voice from the other side of the door and stepped through quietly only to see her standing from her bed and moving to her bathroom. He soon heard the water turn on and smelled the familiar scent of lavender wafting out with the steam of her bath. Inuyasha smiled to himself at the obsessions of the girl. She was the cleanest being – youkai, hanyou or human – that he had ever come across. He watched as she walked out of her bathroom and sat down next to him on her bed.

"Why are you here, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked. She honestly didn't care, but knew she had to find out. The sooner he got his talking over with, the sooner he would leave…or she would kick him out. Even she could smell the familiar scent of dirt, clay and death on him and it was making her sick.

"I just came here to check on you for Shippou. The little brat has done nothing but whine since you left and it was driving me crazy." Inuyasha barked out. He hadn't intended it to sound so harsh, but that was how it came out anyway.

He had been with Kikyou earlier and was planning to visit her again upon seeing her soul catchers in the trees, when he was begged by a sad-eyed kitsune to check on Kagome. Normally, Inuyasha would have told him no and smacked him on the head, but Shippou was sitting on Kaede's shoulder and she was giving him a hard, one-eyed glare. Now, he just wanted to make it back in time to see his dead miko.

"Well you can tell Shippou I am fine and that I will see him in five days time. I know you are only here because you have to be and would much rather be back with Kikyou. Just leave, Inuyasha." Kagome stated in a tired and broken way as she stood up and walked into her bathroom, closing and locking the door.

Inuyasha sat stock still. How was it, she always knew what was going through his head? It just wasn't fair and it was definitely eerie. He sighed heavily, stood and walked to her window. He eyed the outdoors suspiciously as if he felt something that shouldn't be there, but after a few test sniffs turned up nothing, he jumped out and headed for the well.


	5. Chapter 5

Kurama and Hiei momentarily forgot to breathe when they saw an exhausted miko sitting in a pile of shopping bags with a very enraged hanyou towering over her. They both knew the girl had power, but she was completely worn out and both worried for her…even if a certain fire demon would rather die a thousand deaths than admit to it.

Kurama was just readying himself to jump up and go to her aid when he heard the dog speak. "Oi wench! What are you doing just sitting there? It can't be too comfortable. You take forever to make it up those stairs!"

And the fox, with all his grace, almost fell out of the tree.

After regaining his foothold, and his composure, Kurama looked at Hiei and then back down to scene unfolding in front of them. They had both been so caught up in the fact that they had actually found the one they were searching for and that she was in close proximity to another demon that they hadn't thought of the simple fact that she might actually know him. And upon seeing what was transpiring on the shrine grounds below them, they would have preferred to rip the hanyou apart.

The sight they saw next left puzzled, and impressed, looks on both faces of the observers. They watched on as a very pissed off priestess shouted the word 'sit' and forced the hanyou down to the ground.

"Bitch. What was that for?" Was the response from the felled half-breed, making Hiei and Kurama growl slightly.

In that instant, they learned the stupidity of the dog. The demons took one look at the girl and knew the hanyou was in for it. All signs of tiredness were washed away as pure anger rolled off the girl in waves. Right in front of their eyes, the miko forced the hanyou into a crater in the ground, shaped in his likeness, and stormed into her house.

Kurama wasn't one to normally show too many emotions, but the sight in front of him was almost too much. He knew that if it were **him** on the receiving end of even one 'sit' he would have learned to shut his mouth. Now, he was having trouble stifling the chuckle that threatened to break free of his throat.

On the branch next to him, Hiei smirked.

Seeing the dog demon finally move from his place on the ground and enter the house, Hiei and Kurama flitted through the treetops and found one a little closer to the room with the open window and the light on.

Once they were in position by her window, they saw the girl sitting on her bed, a mask of pure sorrow and exhaustion etched into her features. They looked on as she called to the person outside her room to enter and left their immediate field of vision. Water started running and soon the familiar smell of lavender floated out the window, tickling the noses of the nosey demons.

As they watched the whole scene unfold before them, both were having trouble not jumping into the room and completely throttling the stupid dog. It was clear that the young woman cared about the half-breed and he wasn't the least bit kind to her. From all they had sensed in her aura, this woman was the purist form they could ever encounter and even though they knew nothing about her other than that, the fact that she would even associate with a hanyou was tantamount to her character. She deserved to at least receive a little kindness from one she obviously cared about and both demons visibly flinched at the sorrow that rolled off her frame in waves as she talked to the dog about someone named Kikyou.

Hearing soft words of dismissal fall from her lips, the demons settled farther into the tree to meld with the shadows. They watched as the hanyou stuck his head out of the window, tested the air and bounced down to the ground, heading for the well house.

Kagome leaned against the closed bathroom door. Kami she was tired. Tired from the day and tired of mourning. She knew in her heart that Inuyasha would never see her as anything other than a weak, useless, shard detecting copy. Yet, she had always hoped that on the nights he went to Kikyou, he would remember her warmth when wrapped in the cold arms of the dead.

She sighed heavily and shook her head to stop the tears that threatened to fall. 'No. I will not cry for him anymore. He has made his choice and I will not let him rule my heart.' With this new resolution in her mind, she stripped out of her clothes and sunk down into her bath.

Settling down into the water until it touched her chin, Kagome started washing her body absentmindedly while thinking back to the events that had taken place earlier that day. She smiled to herself once again thinking about the rapid changes that took place in the auras of the demons upon her brief unveiling. Could she have mistaken the flash of attraction? She almost laughed. Of course she had! Not even that baka hanyou could see anything in her that wasn't related to weakness! There was no way possible that youkai of any kind could see anything more.

Kagome sat up and washed her hair, then slid back under the water to wash the suds away. She had only been sitting in the tub for about 20 minutes but after the deal with Inuyasha, even her mood for a bath was tarnished. She sighed again as she stood and pulled the plug, draining away the water. Kagome grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her body and pulled another one down for her hair.

She walked back into her room after cracking the door to ensure _he_ was gone and sat at the window sill. Taking a deep breathe of the now nighttime air, she began to towel dry her hair. "Good thing my family is gone for a week. I would have loved to see them, but I am glad they weren't here when Inuyasha was." Kagome said out loud to no one but herself. She missed her family and had hoped to see them while she had time off, but new how much her mother and Souta liked Inuyasha. It was better for them if they didn't know what kind of jerk he was.

Finding her hair dry enough, Kagome let the damp towel fall from her hands to the floor as she looked out the window at the sky. "Is it really so hard for someone to love me, for me?" She asked the stars as tears, the last for him, coursed down her porcelain cheeks unchecked.

Seeing the hanyou bound away from the girl and towards the well house, Kurama turned to regard Hiei. 'Well, now that the dog demon has gone, I am sure the miko will be sleeping soon. It is far too late at night to interrogate her now and she has been through quite a bit tonight as it is. We should leave for now and return tomorrow.'

'Hn.'

Kurama jumped down from the tree, his feet catching the ground silently. 'I am heading for home. I still need to call Yusuke tonight and fill him in on what we have found out so far. I assume that I will see you in the morning?'

'Yes. I will meet you here in the morning. I assume that the detective and that baka will be along as well?' Hiei replied.

A knowing smile briefly crossed his features, 'Yes they will be here. See you in the morning, Hiei.'

Hiei just nodded his head in affirmation, closed the mind link and melded into the shadows of the tree.

Kurama smirked at his friend's attempt at appearing to leave. Truth be told, he didn't necessarily want to leave yet either, but he needed to get home soon so his mother wouldn't worry. He was also seriously intrigued with the miko and his partner's new found fascination with her.

For as long as he had known him, Hiei had always been distant and cold and never liked to be touched. Kurama knew the fire demon had lead a very hard life solely because of what he was and held a deep seeded respect for him in lasting so long in a world that could be so cruel and unforgiving. He had never known Hiei to even have any sort of an attraction to another female, let alone be actively interested in one.

Oh, he was good at hiding it and for anyone else, it would have been impossible to know. However, the fox had known the fire apparition for quite some time and had learned a long time ago how to read him. Too say that he was shocked by what he saw in those crimson eyes when the hanyou was so cruel to the girl, would have been a gross understatement. It was a strong sense of hatred for the dog and compassion for the miko, even though it had flashed through his eyes so fast, it left Kurama wondering if he had truly seen it.

Now, his suspicions were confirmed. Hiei definitely had some sort of reaction to this young woman that was contradictory to his usual indifference. Kurama just shook his head. He too was having some 'feelings' towards the young miko, ones that Youko was just _aching_ to act upon, and briefly wondered if it would come down to confrontation between him and his partner. Kurama sighed heavily and made his way home.

Some part of him was well aware of the fact that Kurama knew he hadn't actually left that tree, but the majority didn't really care. Hiei Jaganshi was furious, simply put. He had always been cold and calculating, finding females to be a waste of time for the most part, and human females even more so. He didn't have tendencies of _any_ kind towards males and he simply hadn't found a female that was worthy of his attention.

Now, Hiei was no prude and certainly wasn't a complete stranger on the subject of sex; after all, he was a male demon. He had come into his times of heat and simply gone to the Makai and had mindlessly rutted with any semi-willing female youkai. He had never had a 'relationship' of any kind, nor had he wanted one, and had never been accused of 'making love'. In fact, that concept was one that was foreign to Hiei. He was well aware of the bodies desire to mate but had never thought there to be anything to it other than a way to produce offspring and a relief of tension.

Now, the cold and stoic fire apparition was reduced to sitting in a tree outside the window of a human female. A miko at that! He mentally berated himself for such an indiscretion. How was it possible that this woman-child had intrigued him? She hadn't done anything truly spectacular untoward, aside from a brilliant display of power and control.

All of his self reprimanding was cut short when he heard a door open and his nose was greeted with that same pleasant scent. He situated himself more comfortably on his branch and peered in through the open window. He didn't have to try too hard to locate the girl for she had just now come into view.

Hiei felt his breathe momentarily catch in his throat when the young miko sat at the window sill, wrapped in a towel. Her raven tresses were glimmering in the moonlight, the beads of water resembling diamonds and shone brilliantly against her milky complexion. Her stormy blue eyes swirled and twisted with more emotion than the demon thought possible as she sighed and spoke into the night, her voice sounding sweeter than he had heard it before.

'…Kagome…'

He watched on as her hands absentmindedly wrung the water from her hair with a towel, mesmerized by her simple, yet studious, actions. He vaguely heard something about the dog demon who had been so cruel earlier, but chose instead to keep his attention on the sight before him.

'Why does she entrance me so? She is nothing more than a human!'

'_But a beautiful and powerful one. She even associates herself with a hanyou! They are regarded almost as coldly as we are!'_

Hiei mentally growled at his conscience. He knew all of this, but refused to give in to the small amount of hope that presented itself. Yes, she obviously knew of demons and had some sort of feelings towards the cruel hanyou, but he was the Forbidden One. He was never meant to receive love. He was cold and murderous and had a past that was lined in blood. No being had ever seen beyond that. Not even Kurama could completely understand his past, how could one so pure look beyond it?

A motion from the window caught his attention once again. He looked back at the girl as the towel she had been drying her hair with slipped from her hand. She once again turned her eyes to the stars, more pain and sadness surging forward in her eyes, steeling them to a beautiful blue-grey.

And the fire apparition's heart lurched painfully in his chest as her whimpered question was sent into the night sky.

"Is it really so hard for someone to love me, for me?" She asked the stars as tears coursed down her porcelain cheeks unchecked.


	6. Chapter 6

Morning came too soon for the girl's personal preference. She had never been a morning person to begin with and since her travels with Inuyasha, she had been forced to learn the art of getting up before dawn. Even now, when she still had three days left of her 'vacation' from the slave driving hanyou, she was once again awake before the first rays of light had even broken the horizon. Moaning into her pillow, Kagome sat up and gave a tired yawn. She wasn't really tired but she simply hated being up so early on one of the few days where she wasn't _required_ to be.

She slid her blankets down, swung her legs over the edge of her bed and stood up to stretch. Kagome hadn't felt this good in a long time. It had only been two days since the most recent incident with her dog halved companion and yet, she was feeling surprisingly well. Normally, when something of that magnitude happened, it left Kagome feeling depressed and worthless for a good three days at the least.

Something had changed in her. That night after her bath, Kagome had cried her heart out in silent pain under the light of the stars and moon at her window sill. She let all the pain of rejection, insults and constant comparison wash over her and pull her down into an emotional undertow. After crying into the night air for a good hour, her tears slowed and ceased and a feeling of peace and contentment filled her soul. Kagome knew then, that she had survived her first love and heartbreak.

The entire time she was resting in her window, she had the feeling that someone was watching over her. Not a guardian angel per se, but a guardian nonetheless, and it made her feel safe, loved and protected. She had longed for those things to make themselves known in her relationship with Inuyasha, despite his constant protection and affection for the dead miko.

As she reflected on that night, she realized that the very air that surrounded her had felt odd. Not bad or dangerous, but strange. Kagome knew that she had sensed a presence outside her window, but when she hadn't seen anyone there, she let it slide, thinking it was just her exhaustion playing tricks on her. Actually, now that she thought about it, the entire _day_ had felt a bit off. As if she was at the beginning of a new chapter in her life. That thought made Kagome chuckle to herself as she moved to the closet to pull out some clothes. 'A new chapter? I haven't even gotten to finish this one yet!'

The priestess sighed and pulled on a pair of cut-off denim shorts and a blue tank top, then moved to the bathroom to pull her hair into a low ponytail. Giving herself the once over in her mirror, she headed downstairs to make something to eat.

To say that Yusuke was pissed off would have been a gross understatement. Just two days ago, he had been complaining about not having any missions at all and now here he was being awoken at eight o'clock in the morning by the ever-to-cheerful Grim Reaper.

"Come on Yusuke! Koenma told me to bring you all in as soon as possible! The others are downstairs waiting on **you**!" Boton said with a note of urgency added to her usual cheerful disposition.

"I heard you, I heard you! Just what in the hell is so important that the damn toddler has to wake me up so early! And after two months of doing nothing!" Yusuke huffed. He wasn't a morning person and despised being woken up by Boton at any hour. He knew if he didn't get his rear end in gear soon, he would become reacquainted with the Ferry Girl's oar. And boy, oh boy did that hurt!

"I don't know, but he said it was important and unlike most of your missions. That is all he would tell me, now hurry up!" Boton chimed as she swung her oar in the direction of the detective's head.

Yusuke ducked just in time to miss the arc of the oar, "Damn it woman! I can't get dressed with you in here and I certainly can't do it if you knock me out!"

"Alright then! I will be downstairs waiting with the others. And Yusuke? Hurry up!" The exuberant, blue haired girl said, swinging her oar at him once again and giggling.

Ten minutes later, Yusuke was stomping down the stairs. Part of him was relieved that the team finally had something to do, but he wasn't sure he was going to like it. Every time there was mention of a mission being "unlike most other missions", it didn't bode well. "Alright I'm here. Can we go now?"

Boton just smiled at the group and made a portal to Reikai. Stepping into the familiar office of the demi-god, the group assembled before his desk and stood waiting for him to acknowledge their presence. Well, _some_ of them waited.

"Oi! Toddler! What is so important about this new mission that you had to wake me up so damn early? It is the middle of summer and if I don't have to get up for school, then I don't want to be up at this time!" The spirit detective seethed.

"Shut up Urameshi! You don't even get up this early when we _do_ have school!" Kuwabara said.

Hiei smirked and Kurama chuckled, "Well, he _does_ have a point Yusuke. Honestly, I am surprised that you are even making it into the next grade!"

This statement caused Hiei's smirk to broaden slightly and Kuwabara to fall to the floor, clutching his sides with laughter. Yusuke, meanwhile, was fuming.

"Alright, that's enough! Really Yusuke! All bent out of shape over a mission? Did you forget that this is your job? And don't call me toddler!" The Prince of Reikai grumbled around the pacifier in his mouth.

"I believe Boton mentioned that we have a rather important mission to embark on, Lord Koenma?" Kurama asked in his always-present polite tone of voice. He threw in the added connotation of 'Lord' to smooth over the ruffled feathers of the demi-god.

Obviously, it worked, for Koenma settled down immediately and got down to business. Pressing 'Play' on a remote in his hand, a video started playing on the screen of the television in the corner. A picture of a brilliant pink jewel came across the screen, "This is the Shikon no Tama. An artifact of unknown power that was created by the very soul of Midoriko herself, it was said to have been burned with the body of its last guardian." The screen now held an image of a young woman with dark hair and hateful eyes dressed in the familiar red and white of the miko, "This was Kikyou, the last known guardian of the jewel. She died over five hundred years ago and the jewel was burned with her body. Or so we thought."

At this point, Koenma shut of the television and continued talking, "We have recently discovered that the Jewel of Four Souls was never actually destroyed. Instead, it lay dormant in the body of a young woman; the new, and current, guardian and the very reincarnation of Midoriko herself." Koenma paused at this juncture in his speech to take a breath and let his words start to sink in.

Looking at the faces of his detectives, and seeing that they had processed what they had been told thus far, he continued. "This young priestess resides in this era but has the ability to travel to the past…five hundred years in the past, to be exact. She has been making these travels for the past four years after she was pulled into the well at her shrine by a centipede demon on her fifteenth birthday. From what we understand, the jewel was ripped from her body by said demon and subsequently shattered. She now returns to Feudal Japan to hunt for the shards of the jewel so that she can return it to its whole form and continue guarding it."

Yusuke and Kuwabara were so caught up in the story, and Koenma was caught up in telling it, that none of them caught the look that passed between the two demons of the group.

'_That's her Red! It has to be! She is powerful, (beautiful), she lives at a shrine, (beautiful) and she is a miko! It has to be the same girl! I can't wait to find out the details of this mission. Maybe, if we are lucky, we will get some up-close-and-personal time with her'_

'Youko, we don't know anything for sure yet. Koenma hasn't even mentioned her name! Why are you so happy about a mission?'

'_I am only happy about **this** mission Red. And why? Because that woman is simply amazing! Besides, if anyone could learn to love us, it would be her.'_

'Wait a minute Youko. Love? Us? We haven't ever even considered having a _girlfriend_ and here you are talking about loving some girl we haven't actually even met yet and could purify us with one touch? Have you truly lost it?'

'Hn. I believe he has.' Hiei added, smirking at the conversation his partner was having in his head.

'_And what do you have to say for yourself, Hiei? We both know that you didn't go home right away that night.'_

'Fox, you had better keep your 'other half' in line. I do not have to explain my actions to anyone.' Hiei snapped and closed off his link. The damnable fox was right, though. He hadn't even made it away from the tree until just before dawn and had even returned the following night!

Hiei and Kurama had both just refocused on Koenma when he said, "So, your mission is to find this girl and protect her. She will be continuing her journeys to the past to finish collecting the jewel shards and with the four of you to add to her present companions, it should speed up the process."

Hiei merely nodded in acceptance, as did Kurama. Kuwabara was standing quietly, obviously still trying to process so much information. Yusuke however was never one to disappoint.

"What in the hell do you mean? We have to travel with some priestess to Feudal Japan for undetermined amounts of time to find pieces of some stupid jewel! Keiko is going to skin me alive for this toddler!" The detective was all but coming apart at the seams.

The Prince of Reikai, however, was not in the least bit intimidated. "You will travel with her, you will aid her in her quest and you **will** protect her! This jewel is not some simple relic to be treasured! It holds immense power and has a guardian for a reason! Boton! Open a portal to the Higurashi Shrine!"

The Ferry Girl came into the office with her ever-present smile, "Right away boss!"

In scant few seconds, the Spirit Detectives were standing in front of a _very_ long set of steps.

Kagome had just finished off her breakfast and moved her dishes to the sink when she felt…a ripple. That was the only way she could describe it. It felt like a slight disturbance in time, almost akin to the feeling she had when she went through the well.

As soon as the 'ripple' had passed, she felt it…she felt him. It was that feeling of utter chaos and power that she had sensed from the shorter demon of the group she had come into contact with from a couple days ago. Though now, his youki was surging outward, as if to tell her he was here. She felt his inner turmoil sweep her up in a wave of anguish and she had to brace herself against the kitchen counter to keep from being brought to her knees. And as quickly as it hit her, it subsided into nothingness.

In that sudden flash of energy, Kagome knew why she had sensed so much ruthlessness in his aura. This demon had led a life that would have destroyed any other being in little time at all. He had been thrown against every obstacle possible and had become murderous to survive. The young priestess suddenly felt very close to him.

A knock at her door soon brought her from her inner ponderings. As she made her way to the door, she felt the presences of the other three from that same day. Now, her curiosity was piqued. 'What on Earth could bring those four here? How did they find me?'

Kagome pulled open the door to find the exact four, plus a woman with blue hair and an oar, standing on her porch. She smiled warmly and was about to make with the pleasantries when she was cut short by the tall, Elvis wannabe.

"Hey! It is that same pretty girl from the other day!" The boy exclaimed, grabbing her hands and dropping down to one knee, "Will you be my girlfriend?"


	7. Chapter 7

"Shut up, baka! She doesn't even know us!" Yusuke yelled, smashing Kuwabara in the side of the head, efficiently rendering him unconscious. "Sorry about that, Kagome? Isn't it?" He finished with a smile and an outstretched hand.

Kagome graciously accepted his hand shake with a smile and a nod, indicating he was correct with her name. "Maybe you should come inside. I would like to know how you know my name and I believe you have to introduce me to your friends." She stepped back inside and made room for the group to enter, with Yusuke dragging Kuwabara by his collar.

Once everyone had made it in the door, Kagome led the group through the kitchen and into the living room. Yusuke dropped Kuwabara rather unceremoniously onto the floor and turned to their host, "Sorry about that. My name is Yusuke Urameshi, the girl with the too-happy personality is Boton, the redhead is Shuichi Minamino, but we call him Kurama, the short one with the bad attitude is Hiei and the one on the floor is Kazuma Kuwabara."

Kagome smiled at each of them in turn, following their introductions. "Well, why don't you all have a seat and I will make some tea. I have a feeling that we will be here awhile, as we have much to discuss." Kagome stated with a small smile as she turned and went into the kitchen.

Kuwabara groaned as he started to wake up. His head hurt like Hades and he was lying in a very uncomfortable position on the floor. "Hey Urameshi! What in the hell was that for!"

The group just grinned, or smirked in Hiei's case. Kuwabara might have a soft heart and amazingly strong spiritual powers, but he was definitely a baka. They all knew he had a place in his heart for Yukina, but he could never stop himself from professing his love at the drop of a hat to some unsuspecting young woman. Thankfully, Yusuke was usually around to knock him into dreamland before he made a real ass of himself.

"Kuwabara you baka! We just met Kagome and you are asking her to be your girlfriend! We have a mission that involves her and we can't have you scaring her off! Besides, I thought you liked Yukina?" Yusuke said, barely keeping his voice to a dull roar.

Boton had gone to tell Kagome good bye before she disappeared through a portal back to Reikai. Kurama and Yusuke were sitting on the couch and Kuwabara had just risen from his place on the floor to a chair, sending death glares at the detective as they continued their incessant arguing.

Hiei was grumbling from his place, leaning against the wall. Today was just not his day. At first, it seemed like it might not be too bad. They had their mission from Koenma which involved the young priestess that had been taking up much of his thinking time over the past two days and he had finally 'met' her. Now he was standing in her living room, listening to the stupid humans fighting and to make it worse, he could just _smell_ the attraction of the entire group to the raven haired miko.

Today was not his day at all.

Kagome had just set the tea kettle on the stove to boil and was taking out cups from the cupboard when Boton entered the kitchen. "Hey Kagome! I have to get back to the Reikai for awhile. I hate to leave you here with those fools, but I don't need to be here right now and have other things to do."

The miko turned to the Ferry Girl and smiled, "It's ok Boton. I can handle them. Will I see you again?" She was almost missing Lady Death, strange as it sounds. Boton seemed to be very nice and Kagome was sure they could be good friends.

"Oh! Of course you will! The detectives have a mission that involves you and I am their 'transportation'. I will be back as soon as they call me." Boton replied with a smile of her own, before she opened a portal and was gone.

Kagome turned her attention back to the tea and snacks she was preparing for her guests when she heard the voices of Yusuke and Kuwabara arguing in the living room. She felt out the others in the house and found that Kurama seemed to be amused at what was transpiring, but Hiei just seemed flat out irritated. His aura was flickering dangerously with an array of emotions that belied the expression she was sure that would be found on his face.

Hearing the arguing continuing and feeling the tension in Hiei rise, Kagome decided to try something. Stopping what she was doing, the priestess focused on Hiei's aura and sent a wave of her own calming energy towards him. She didn't know how well it would work or if he would even accept it, but it was worth a try all the same.

Once done, she turned her attention back to the tea as the kettle boiled. She was just in the middle of putting tea bags in the cups when she felt a gentle nudging on her mental barriers, like the gentle caress of a lover. Feeling no malevolence from the force, she dropped her walls. When the least of her barriers were lowered, Kagome felt a strong but gentle presence enter her mind, followed by a voice.

'_**Kagome.'**_

Yusuke had just told Kuwabara that he was at the end of the line when the gods were handing out brains and Kuwabara had just retaliated by smashing a fist into the detectives jaw. Now, they were both wrestling on the floor, taking cheap shots whenever the opportunity presented itself, while an amused fox avatar looked on.

Hiei was seconds away from either fleeing the scene or throttling the baka ningens that didn't even have the decency to take their ridiculous fights outside while they were at someone else's house. Just as he pushed himself from the wall, content at taking out his frustrations on the humans, he felt a wave of perfect calm wrap around him in a comforting embrace.

The fire apparition blinked at the feeling. For the first time in his entire existence, he felt at peace, the opposing forces within him were almost lulled to sleep. He knew that energy. It was Kagome.

'…_Kagome…'_

'Why would she be comforting me? How is it even possible for her to do such a thing? She can't sense my distress, can she?' His mind was flooded with questions that needed answering. He didn't understand how it was possible for anyone to be able to force a perfect calm upon him in the first place. _And he liked it!_

Suddenly, as if in response to that peaceful energy, the Jagan started pulling towards Kagome. Now _that_ was an unusual feeling. Hiei knew that the Jagan was a sentient being of sorts and had, on occasion, wanted to be set free to sense something specific. This, however, was something totally new. He could feel the intensity behind the pull, as if her soul was calling to his, her mind to the Jagan.

Hiei was no fool, however. He knew the holy powers that the young priestess possessed and he also knew that if he just let the Jagan roam free, he could be instantly purified for trying to pry into her mind. So he decided to approach this situation in a sensible way, that was almost contrary to his 'act now, think later' attitude.

The demon leaned back against the wall once more and closed his crimson eyes. He didn't remove the bandana, for that would alert attention from the fox, but he did relax a little and let the Jagan open up. He sought out Kagome's mind and gave it a gentle nudge. Not enough to startle her into accidentally purifying him, but just enough that she would take the bait and lower her guard.

At the first probing of the miko's mind, Hiei was impressed. The girl knew how to protect herself from intrusion. The kind of barriers she had set up locked her mind down tight, leaving no room for playing of any kind from any outside source. Once again, he questioned how that hanyou could ever consider her weak. Clearing his mind of the troublesome dog demon, he let the Jagan gently brush up against a wall in Kagome's mind.

Both Hiei and the Jagan were rewarded for their efforts when the outer most wall of her defenses was dropped, leaving her open for a discussion of the minds. Hiei had to mentally choke down the small knot of uncertainty that was forming in his gut before talking to her. Still, all he could say was her name and it came out in a proverbial whisper.

'_**Kagome.'**_

She smiled when she heard her name uttered in an almost quiet reverence. The girl immediately knew who it was in her mind and she smiled again, in spite of it all. There was a very powerful demon traipsing through her mind and she was smiling about it!

'_**Hello Hiei. How are you feeling?'**_

'_**Hn. How did you do that?'**_

Kagome smiled again. She knew the fire demon wasn't much of a talker, so she let the ignoring of her question slide. **_'I am sorry…was I wrong to do so?'_**

'_**How was it possible for you to do such a thing? It should not be possible.'**_

'_**I am sorry. I didn't mean to intrude or offend. I could tell you were distressed and thought I would try to help.'**_

It was then she felt his presence in the kitchen. She turned, putting her back against the counter, and regarded the koorime with gentle eyes and a small smile. As he stepped closer, she was better able to feel his aura and she was shaken to the core of her soul by the torment that ran rampant throughout.

Hiei noticed a small tremble course through the miko's body and stopped, thinking he had invaded too much of her space…and that she did indeed, find him unworthy.

Kagome noticed as his footsteps halted and she could feel the uncertainty coming from him. 'What could he be so uncertain of? Did I say something I shouldn't have?' Then, she got brave. She closed the gap between them and lifted her hand to cup his cheek.

'Why am I letting myself get so close to her? Someone that pure of heart and soul could never, _never_ want anything to do with one who has so much blood on their hands…' Then he felt it. She had stepped up in front of him without him even noticing and now her soft, warm hand was gently cupping his cheek. He startled them both when he moved his face into her hand.

'**_So much sorrow and loneliness…how can you stand it?'_** She 'said' to the demon as she held his face in her hand. His skin was warm, despite the coldness in his eyes. Kagome was shocked still when he nuzzled his cheek against her hand. She had been expecting retaliation, anger, embarrassment…but not compliance!

Hiei was a little taken aback by the girl's question. She had asked it in all innocent honesty, but it wasn't one he was expecting. He thought she would ask of his past, his murderous ways…but not of his emotions. The fire demon smirked then…he hadn't been aware that he _had_ emotions to speak of. He looked up from the floor and was instantly trapped in the stormy eyes of the miko. She was much the same as he was. **_'How can you?'_**


	8. Chapter 8

To the untrained eye, it would have appeared that Kurama was sincerely watching the antics of his companions, but to anyone who had known the fox at all, he was off in his own world again. While he had a truly amused look on his face, he wasn't even paying attention to the humans. He was busy having a 'conversation' with the fox spirit that inhabited his body.

'_Come on, Red! We should go in there and talk to her!'_

'And what exactly would we say Youko? Tell her that we sat outside her house two nights ago and saw the fight between her and her inu hanyou companion? I don't think she would take too kindly to being reminded of such an event' Kurama responded with a scoff. He knew that Youko was simply itching to spend more time around the girl, truth be told, so was he, but he didn't want to scare her away.

'_Honestly! You should know by now that I have more tact than that! Not only was I the greatest thief in Makai, I was also quite the 'lady's man'. I don't think we should even mention our 'meeting' on the sidewalk. I just want to be around her. She smells divine.'_

Kurama mentally groaned. He knew what the fox spirit was thinking and although the same thoughts had crossed his mind of his own accord, much calmer ones mind you, he knew that the conversation he wanted to hold with the miko would have to wait. Kurama also knew that if they were closer to the girl, Youko would be pressing harder for reign over 'their' body.

'Youko, we are going to have to be careful in this whole situation. Have you forgotten that Hiei obviously is having a reaction of sorts to Kagome as well? I might want something more explicit with her, but I don't know if I would go against Hiei for it.'

The kitsune scoffed, _'Oh please! That boy doesn't even having feelings or actions of true kindness! What makes you think he would want something more than that with her? Are you really willing to throw away the most promising chance there is at having a mate that we both agree on?'_

That phrase got Kurama's attention immediately. He had been aware of Youko for quite some time now and had been privy to more than a few of his memories. He could honestly say that while the fox was nothing short of passionate, he never really seemed the one to want a mate. Fox youkai mated for life and silver foxes, as Youko was, were even stricter about their mating.

'Did you really just say 'mate'? Youko, are you serious? We don't even know this girl and you talk about her as a possible life mate?'

'_You sound surprised Red. It's true that I have never really found one that I could consider a mate, but this one has everything needed to be a perfect mate. She is powerful, strong, compassionate and absolutely beautiful! What I wouldn't give for a little 'alone time' with her!'_

With that final thought from Youko, Kurama was forced to stifle a low groan that threatened to break free of his throat. He was being bombarded by images of a certain raven haired beauty, writhing beneath him in pleasure, a thin sheen of sweat covering her milky skin making her hair cling to her shoulders, with his name on her lips.

Kurama shook his head to clear the impure thoughts placed there by the sensual natured kitsune.

Once his mind was his again, Kurama immediately noticed that Hiei was not fairing well. The fire demon was absolutely seething with barely contained anger and was glaring daggers at the humans on the floor. He knew that Hiei held no real affection for either detective, but also knew he held no real malice. As he studied the face of his partner, he had to school his features to keep from revealing his shock.

Not only was the koorime nearly wearing holes into the two boys as they wrestled, his eyes had a dangerous gleam to them. No, it wasn't just dangerous…it was _murderous_. As the boys continued with their banter, completely oblivious to their possible demise, Kurama felt the hybrids' youki starting to build and flare. It was coming out in strong bursts as if meant to challenge the spirit detectives, or as a warning that their lives would soon be forfeit.

At seeing Hiei push off from the wall with his hand wrapping around the hilt of his katana, Kurama readied himself for an intervention. He had seen that look in his partners' eyes more times than he would like to count and he knew that it never did bode well. Kurama was just tensing his muscles, ready to react when he noticed two things. One was that Hiei had stopped his advancement and regained his place leaning against the wall. He had even closed his eyes, which he was never known to do, and his youki calmed down. The second thing the fox noticed was what must have been responsible for his friend's reaction. He felt the traces of an amazingly calming presence.

They stood there for a moment in companionable silence, letting the question posed to both hang in the air. Neither made the move to answer simply because they knew they didn't have one. It was obvious to miko and youkai alike that neither one really could stand it. They both felt lost and alone and it weighed heavy on their souls. However, they both did well to hide such things from their companions.

Hiei wondered briefly if this was what heaven felt like. He was both amazed and confused at his current situation. The young fire demon had never been one to favor touch of any kind and abhorred emotions such as love, contentment and happiness because they had always symbolized weakness; something that could be exploited and used against one such as himself. His life was precarious at best and knew that such feelings could bring ill will, not only to himself, but to the one(s) in his heart as well.

Yet right at this point in time, he couldn't force himself to move. He wasn't completely sure what he felt for this intriguing creature. Hiei had grown up knowing that he was not one to love or be loved and had resigned himself to a life of loneliness. Now though, none of that even came to mind. All he could focus on was the warmth of the soft hand that held his cheek as though he were something precious.

For the first time in his life, Hiei felt a part of his soul stir. Something deep inside of him was crying out for the attention of this woman and, oddly, he welcomed it. The fire apparition felt … safe in the company of the girl. She was able to calm the constant raging of his opposing elements with her presence alone and that was enough to convince him to stay near her.

He was relishing the time he had with her and soaking up her very essence when he felt her tense slightly. He opened the eyes he hadn't realized he had closed and regarded the young woman standing a mere breathe away from him. As he found her eyes, he realized that she had sensed something that made her ill at ease.

His skin was soft and smooth against her open palm. Honestly, Kagome was still slightly surprised that he had allowed her such liberties with his person. She could tell he was even more stand-offish than Sesshoumaru on a bad day and emitted a coldness that would rival the Ice Prince's. Yet, here she was touching him in an almost familiar way.

He was familiar though. She knew that both he and the fox had been lurking around the shrine grounds on the night Inuyasha graced her with his presence. Kagome wasn't sure what they had seen or heard but she knew that they had been outside her room just prior to the hanyou's leave. She hadn't really noticed it then and was only aware of it the next day; and she only became sure that Hiei was there when she felt his presence again the following evening and it was reaffirmed today.

The miko looked up at the youkai and smiled a small smile. He was truly at ease in her presence and she found that fact rather addicting. It felt to her as though he needed to be near her … and she needed to be needed. As she studied the fire demon closer, Kagome found that she wasn't so sure she could move from him. He seemed so at peace and his presence made her feel safe. He was strong and dangerous and could kill her without a second thought … but right now, that didn't matter.

Kagome was savoring the feel of his skin against hers. The very closeness that had developed over such a brief time was almost unnerving. She had never been one to be 'close' to any youkai per se. She only really _knew_ four full blood youkai. There was, and always would be she guessed, Kouga who professed his love to her at almost nauseating doses at regular intervals; Sesshoumaru who was aloof and indifferent at best and had a deep seeded hatred for anyone with human blood, despite Rin; Shippou who was still a child and was her adopted son; and Kirara who was her best friend's faithful companion.

Yet, even though she knew full well that being this close to a youkai she was barely acquainted with could be extremely hazardous to her health, she didn't care. All that mattered right now was the comfort that had been found in one another's presence.

That comfort was to be short lived for the miko. Just as she was thoroughly enjoying her time with Hiei, she felt the magic of the well followed by the presence of an irritated inu hanyou. She inwardly cringed and found that her body had inadvertently tensed at the knowledge that the foul tempered dog would soon be slinging insults and accusations at her. Kagome could handle what Inuyasha could throw, but she hadn't yet explained her situation to the people in her house and was momentarily worried about the inevitable violence that would soon follow his arrival.

Upon seeing his partner's sudden flip of emotions, Kurama made the decision to try and find out exactly what was going on in the mind of the koorime.

'Hiei. What in Kami's name is going on?' Kurama asked through the mind link he shared with the fire demon. He had never seen such rapid changes in Hiei's actions or emotions before and he was almost unnerved by it.

After his initial attempt was ignored, he tried once more, 'Hiei! What is happening? Are you alright?' He knew that a note of concern had seeped through but didn't really care.

Honestly, he wasn't sure why he was intruding on Hiei in the first place. His friend has lost the murderous tint in his eyes and now looked more relaxed than he had seen him in ages. Sighing, he gave one more mental nudge at his friend. This final attempt indeed got a reaction, though not one he was looking for. With this move, Kurama had Hiei's mental door slammed in his face. He was obviously busy with something important and was not going to be disturbed.

'_That damnable hybrid won't let us in!'_ Youko complained, whining as much as he was fuming.

'And what would you like me to do about it Youko? What is the big deal? Is Hiei not allowed to have time alone in his mind?' Kurama was irritated. He didn't mind Hiei's ignoring him, but he was rather annoyed with the kitsune.

'_Go up and shake him or something! Something very interesting is going on and I have a feeling it has to do with our future mate!'_ The fox replied, his tail swishing back and forth in pure aggravation. He knew the koorime had intentions with Kagome and it just made him see red. Youko had wanted to have the chance to claim the miko and now, the Forbidden Child was chatting her up.

'Youko! I don't believe we have actually come to the decision that we will attempt to make her ours in the first place! Second off, Hiei needs companionship more so than we do. I say we let him be.' And with that, Kurama mentally turned his back to the kitsune, stating that he was done with the conversation at hand.

When Hiei left and made his way towards the kitchen, Youko growled inside the mind of his human body. The redhead might be finished, but that didn't mean he wouldn't voice his own anger. The perfect mate was just in the next room and now that infernal hybrid was talking with her. It just wasn't fair!

Kurama knew his kitsune counterpart was straight up pissed off. He was youkai and all he could see was the fact that his 'intended' was being approached by another youkai and it set his blood to boil. He heard the feral growl in his mind and had pull on the reigns that held Youko at bay a little harder.

And that was what he Kurama was resigned to for the next twenty minutes. It took all the concentration he had to keep the kitsune from surfacing and ripping his partner to shreds. He wanted Kagome, he would admit, but he would be damned if he would allow her to meet Youko in such a way. Besides that, he could tell that the miko and youkai in the kitchen were having a 'moment' per se and he was loath to interrupt that at this point in time.

Youko had finally given up his fight with the redhead when they felt the ancient magic of the well followed by the smell of dog.

Yusuke was really getting tired of this. If Kuwabara wasn't such a baka all the time, he wouldn't spend the majority of his time around the man fighting with him. They were both slowing down on their assaults of one another and soon stopped altogether when they felt an odd surge of magic and felt the presence of an unknown youkai.

"Hey Urameshi! Do you feel that?" Kuwabara asked as he pulled himself from the floor. It was just then he noticed that Hiei was not in the room and Kurama was intently focused on something.

"Kurama! What is that? Do you know?" He asked the fox impatiently when Yusuke didn't answer. He could feel in his bones that something was going on, but he didn't know what it could be.

Yusuke ignored his friend and put his attention back on what he had felt. He was aware of the fact that this girl was a miko and had spiritual powers that could rival those of Koenma, but this feeling was wrought of pure magic. Something he wasn't accustomed to feeling and it made him uneasy.

The detective noticed that Kurama was also intently focused on something and knew that he had made the same assumption as he had.

Something was about to happen.


	9. Chapter 9

Author's Note

I was 'reminded' by a review that Kagome knows more youkai than the four I mentioned. I am well aware of this fact, but I worded it as, ". She only really _knew_ four full blood youkai." Which leaves room for the fact that she does know others but knows these specific four better than the rest. If I had really wanted to delve into all the youkai Kagome is associated with, the list would be rather extensive. There would be Ginta, Hakkaku, Myoga, Ah Un, Jaken and a score of others, including enemies. These four are the ones that she has the most contact with and could claim to 'know'.

I would also like to give a warning for the chapter(s) ahead. I know that the chapters up until now have been character building and rather tame, however, I have decided to throw in a darker aspect to shake things up. I hadn't really though of taking my story in this direction until it came out this way.

You are warned.

Four days. It had been four fucking days since she had gone back to her time and two days since she had sent him back alone. Sango and Miroku had yet to return and he knew damn good and well that they wouldn't be back for at least another three days. He also knew that Kagome wouldn't be back for the same amount of time.

All that knowledge was the reason for the hanyou's current sour mood. He missed Kagome and felt worthless when she wasn't around. She was the one who could find the shards, the glue that held the group together and the only one who needed, and wanted, his protection. Even though, the need wasn't there much anymore. Not since she had trained until she had full control over her powers.

Inuyasha was perched on his favorite branch of the God Tree. He had made this tree his own personal respite some time ago and most thought it was simply because it was where he had been pinned for so long that it held onto a part of his life that he didn't want to relinquish. While that assumption was indeed part of it, it wasn't all of it. Inuyasha came here because it reminded him of her…of _them_. Inuyasha knew in his heart that Kikyou and Kagome were two different people but he always compared the miko from the future to his past love.

"Damnit all to hell." Inuyasha grumbled as he jumped down from the tree. Thinking like that always made his head hurt and the times when his thinking involved the two mikos, he was always guaranteed a headache that would make him wish he could be beat into unconsciousness.

"Well, I will just go to Kagome's time and make her return early. We have a mission to complete and even if the others aren't back yet, we can still scout for shards." The hanyou said aloud to no one but himself as he flew through his forest towards the Bone Eater's Well.

The red-clad half-demon jumped into the well that would bring him to the future mumbling something about "stupid wenches" and was enveloped in magic blue light.

As soon his feet touched down at the bottom of the well, he used the strength in his legs to spring up and out. Immediately upon opening the door of the well house, Inuyasha was met with the scent of demons. Demons that were in Kagome's house.

Now, Inuyasha was far beyond pissed off. Not only was Kagome sitting at home while he was alone in Feudal Japan but she was entertaining **demons** in her house! There were four beings other than Kagome inside, two of which were humans and the other two were demons. What really set his blood to boiling was that all four were….male!

'What is _my_ Kagome doing with four guys in her house! And two of them are demons!' The dog snarled in his mind. She was _his_ and he would be damned if some lousy demon, or human, from her time was going to take her away. Sure, he had Kikyou, but he could, and would, have her too. With that thought in mind, the hanyou made his way to the front door.

Once there, he wasted no time in throwing open the door and storming inside.

Kagome knew he was coming but that didn't stop her from nearly jumping out of her skin when Inuyasha burst through her front door. Hearing some commotion from her living room, Kagome looked towards the doorway that connected the two rooms and saw Kurama, Kuwabara and Yusuke all filing inside the kitchen, just as an irate hanyou came stomping in from the other side.

The tension that was mounting in the small area was thick to the point of suffocation and Kagome was finding it hard to breath. She stood there for a few moments and looked between Inuyasha and her new acquaintances, who were currently in the middle of staring each other down. It was then that Kagome heard a low growl erupt from the throat of the fire demon who was still standing as close to her as before. She turned her head to study him and instantly realized exactly how dangerous a demon he was. His eyes seemed to have bled into an even darker shade of crimson and had taken on a positively murderous glint.

The growl from Hiei seemed to be enough to break the stare down and all heads present turned to regard him. The faces of his friends looked almost questioning, but the hanyou was just angry.

"What in the hell are you doing with all these strange men Kagome! You _do_ know that two of them are demons, don't you? How stupid do you have to be to put yourself in a position like this!" Inuyasha ranted, unable to control his anger. "And **you**!" He spat as he pointed to Hiei, "What in the hell are you doing so close to **my** Kagome!"

A sharp intake of breath from all other occupants sounded across the room. It was obvious then, that either the hanyou was brave or just plain stupid. The companions of the koorime knew that no one talked to him in such a manner and lived to tell the tale. Apparently Kagome had made the same deduction for she visibly paled.

"What's the matter shorty? Cat got yer tongue?" Inuyasha taunted. He could tell the demon was far beyond pissed and he was hoping to get him riled up enough to make the first move. That way, Kagome would be more upset with the fire demon than him. Of course, Inuyasha had never been accused of having good plans and this time was no different.

Hiei was about to burst at the seams with the rage he was barely holding on to. He didn't want to start a fight with the miko's companion and really didn't want to do it in her own house, but the hanyou didn't seem to know when to shut his mouth. The fire demon could take the insults the dog threw in his direction and had he abstained to doing so, Hiei would have ignored the mutt. However, the first thing the half-breed had done upon entering the house was insult Kagome.

That would never do.

Apparently, the other spirit detectives were thinking along the same lines for they had all assumed a defensive stance and had made their way closer to the young miko. This only served to make the already irritable hanyou even more upset.

"What the fuck is going on Kagome! You don't have time to fuck around with two unknown demons, much less two more stupid humans! You are already weak enough as it is and hanging out with this group will just make it worse. You are _mine_ and I intend to take you back right now!" The hanyou seethed and spat. Things were not looking good for him and he knew it. He looked into Kagome's eyes and realized just how bad things were.

She had stood there in her kitchen unmoving as she watched the events play out. The first words that Inuyasha had said had barely soaked in because she was too offset about everything that was going on. However, the insults to Hiei did not fall on deaf ears and neither did the half-breed's following rant. Upon hearing the last sentence fall from his lips, Kagome was pissed.

"Inuyasha…" Kagome ground out as she felt her anger rise. "What are you doing here, _again_! I told you to go away two days ago and I meant it! What I do at any point in time is **none** of your business! You cannot just come here and start slinging insults at my friends!"

Kagome was flat out mad. It was bad enough that she took such abuse from him in front of their companions in the Sengoku Jidai, but she would not stand for it in her own house.

"And what do you mean saying that I am yours? I am **not** a possession, least of all yours! You have thrown me away more times than I care to keep track of and have run off to some undead pile of clay, while all I ever did was love you! She can't even survive without stealing souls from others and you have the nerve to compare me to **her**?"

"Shut up wench! You can't talk about my Kikyou like that! You are just a reincarnation! A weaker copy of the real deal! Why would I want **you** when I can have the original? I don't even need you to hunt the shards. Kikyou can do it too and probably be better at it than you!" Inuyasha spat out, his voice laced with venom. He knew what he was saying was hurting her, but damnit, she made him mad!

Kagome just laughed. The sound being cold and unnatural, and sending shivers down the spines of all present. "You stupid mutt. You really don't know do you? I am not Kikyou's reincarnation nor have I ever been! I am the reincarnation of Midoriko, Inuyasha. The only reason I even hold a resemblance to that undead bitch is because of how long she was in possession of the Tama."

Inuyasha almost choked on his own tongue. 'How is that possible? She is supposed to be Kikyou's copy, not Midoriko's! That means she is far more powerful than either one! Damn! I really screwed up this time.'

The hanyou growled low in his throat as he contemplated his options. Kagome was pissed beyond belief and he was sure he couldn't even talk to her with the others around. So, he made up his mind.

The entire room heard the dog growl and it made them all uneasy. They could tell by the look on his face that he was thinking up a plan and they were sure it wouldn't be good.

Before anyone could make a move to do anything, Inuyasha swept through the small group, grabbed Kagome with one arm around her waist and the other over her mouth and disappeared in a blur of red. He ran up the stairs and flew out Kagome's bedroom window. After landing safely on the grass, the hanyou made a beeline for the well house. As soon as he had flung the door open, he disappeared in a flash of blue light with Kagome in tow.

The Reikai Tantei were confused. They had just been facing off against an enraged half demon in the kitchen of the only miko known to be in existence and now they were both gone.

"Damn! Where in the hell did they go?" Yusuke cursed. They hadn't even gotten to hear the girl's story yet, even though they knew enough about her from Koenma's files.

"The well." Was the only response the detective got and it was from a very unhappy fire demon as he disappeared in a blur of black and white.

Yusuke looked to Kurama, confusion evident on his features. "The well? Why would they go to the well? Is that how Kagome travels to the past?" The detective asked as they all ran outside to join the wayward fire apparition.

"As far as we can tell, yes it is." Kurama replied, already feeling the stress and worry coming from Hiei and the sheer anger and concern coming from Youko. Actually, they were all worried for the girl.

Hiei raced outside as fast as he could, determined to follow the miko and the hanyou. He flung the door to the well house aside and jumped over the landing, coming to a stop at the lip of the well. The smell of the mutt and Kagome's fear assaulted his nose and enraged his demon blood. Without hesitation, Hiei launched himself over the edge and landed unceremoniously on the hard bottom of the well. "Damn!" He cursed under his breath as he made his way back outside to the rest of the detectives.

The group had just reached the well house as Hiei stormed out. It was obvious by the look on his face that they needed to find another way to get to the miko and soon. "Fox, call Boton. We need to see Koenma."

Kurama nodded and pulled out his communicator. Flipping it open, he was greeted by the ever-cheerful Boton, "Hi Kurama! How are things with Kago-" She never even got to finish before she was cut off.

"Not good Boton. We need to see Koenma and we need to see him **now**!" Kurama all but growled. The sense of urgency was coursing through his veins and he could tell it was the same for the others. They had only known the priestess a short time, but every one of them already felt the need to protect her. And it had nothing to do with the fact that it was a mission to do so.

Within seconds, a portal to the office of the Prince of Reikai was opened and they all rushed through.

The junior ruler of Reikai looked up from his mountain of paperwork as his Spirit Detectives flooded the room. He studied each of their faces and found varying degrees of concern, worry and anger etched on every one. Kuwabara looked completely lost, Yusuke looked as though he was going to tear something apart, and Hiei had on his trademark scowl, though it was a little darker than normal and his eyes showed nothing but rage. When he looked at Kurama, he was almost shocked into silence. The calm and collected avatar was flickering. His crimson locks were being threaded with silver and his eyes were flashing from emerald to amber.

He turned his attention to Kurama, "What is going on? Where is Kagome?"

Hiei growled angrily and Kurama approached the desk. "We were at her house waiting to hear her tell her story when that hanyou 'friend' of hers burst in. He exchanged words with Kagome mostly and then took off with her! They disappeared down the well. She is in danger, Koenma! We need to get to the Sengoku Jidai **now**!"

"Are you sure she is in danger? He has been known to appear just long enough to drag her back to his time period, but she has always returned. What is so different now?" Koenma asked. He knew that there had to be a reason for the group to be on the verge of falling apart and he wanted to know what it was.

"He is not a hanyou right now. His eyes flashed red seconds before he took Kagome and his scent reeks of full blooded inu. She is in danger and could be dead before we get there unless we make it fast!" Hiei snarled. He knew that the longer they stayed in Reikai, the more danger the priestess was in. Sure, she was powerful enough and had a subduing spell for the mongrel, but he was in full demon form and in which, his demon blood would easily override said spell.

Koenma's eyebrows disappeared into his hat at this. What the fire demon said was true; if they didn't reach Kagome soon, her life would be forfeit. "Boton! In here now!"

The prince had hardly finished his demand and Boton was in the office. They focused their energies and after a few seconds, a portal opened into a clearing right next to the Bone Eater's Well. "Hurry and find her. She will need your help and protection even more now than before. She can get you home. Good luck!" Koenma told the Tantei as they disappeared through the portal and stepped in to Feudal Japan.


	10. Chapter 10

The magical blue light of the well swirled and faded around Inuyasha as he landed at the bottom still holding tight to Kagome. He sprung up and out of the well, and took off in a dead run as soon as his feet touched the earth. The hanyou-turned-youkai didn't have a specific destination in mind. He only knew that he needed to be somewhere secluded and far away from prying eyes and ears.

Inuyasha flew across the expanse of the clearing and delved deep into the forest bearing his name. He was taking Kagome to another clearing towards the heart of his forest where he could carry out his intentions. He hadn't completely turned yet, so some semblance of consciousness remained…and he knew exactly what he was doing.

Kagome had never been so scared in her life. She had faced countless youkai, including Lord Sesshoumaru and Naraku, during her travels with the Shard Hunters and yet her insides were completely twisted into knots with terror. This was Inuyasha! This was her friend, her companion, her first love. She knew he was changing into his demon form and she was terrified.

When Inuyasha took off into the forest, Kagome was forced to hold onto him with a death grip. She knew that whatever he had in store would be nothing short of horrendous and that thought alone made her heart sink and her mind race.

Finding the clearing he had been searching for, Inuyasha came to a sudden halt and threw Kagome to the ground. She looked up at the man she had once loved and her heart broke a little more when she noticed that his eyes still retained some of the golden color she had come to adore. He knew what he was doing.

A feral grin spread across the features of the hanyou and the moonlight glittered off his fangs. "So, you thought you could just find someone else in your time, did you? Which one did you want to fuck the most? The fox or that short little fire demon? Not that it matters, really. I told you before Kagome, you are _mine_ and I will have you, whether you want it now or not."

Kagome whimpered at the harshness in his voice, even as her anger began to surface. "What do you mean Inuyasha? You chose Kikyou! Why should it matter to you what I do? What would you want with me? I am just a shard detector, remember?" She spat the words out as though they were poison.

Inuyasha chuckled, sending shivers down the miko's spine. "What I mean, my dear Kagome, is that I am going to take you, right here and right now and when I am finished with you, I will leave you for dead for betraying me. If you die, then so be it. You will be better off. If you live, you will be tainted. No one will ever want you; not that they would have in the first place."

With that, the hanyou tore off a strip of cloth from the bottom of Kagome's shirt and leaned down to tie it around her wrists. Kagome however had different plans. She knew that what he told her would happen was inescapable, but damnit she wasn't going down without a fight! Seeing him lean towards her, Kagome kicked out her right leg and connected with Inuyasha's stomach.

The dog demon fell back from the unexpected attack and the priestess bolted. She had just made it to the trees surrounding the clearing when she felt white hot pain across her back and heard the tearing of flesh. Inuyasha had caught up with her in no time and raked his clawed hand across her back, ripping her flesh open to the bone.

A blood curdling scream was torn from her throat as his hand traveled from her left shoulder down to her right hip. She felt her own blood splash across her legs and collapsed under the pain.

"Stupid bitch! You actually thought you could get away from me?" The demon said in a slightly amused tone. His beast was raging within him and the feistiness of the priestess was turning him on even more than the overwhelming scent of her fear. He grabbed a hold of the fallen miko, picked her up and carried her back to his chosen place.

Inuyasha threw Kagome down to the ground hard on her back and she yelped out in pain as the dirt and rocks stuck to her torn flesh. Inuyasha, not wanting a repeat performance of what just transpired, pounced on Kagome and straddled her hips. Kagome squished her eyes closed as tears streamed down her cheeks, "Please, Inuyasha. Don't do this."

Growling, Inuyasha drew his hand back and slapped Kagome hard across the cheek, causing a bruise to form almost immediately and leaving a split in her lip. "I suggest you keep your stupid mouth shut wench! It always did get you into trouble."

With that, the demon swiped his claws down the front of Kagome's shirt, shredding it, and her bra, into ribbons and cutting into the tender skin underneath. She bit her lip hard to stifle another yelp of pain as he grabbed her breasts with bruising strength. He bent his head down to her neck and licked at the soft skin before nicking it with his fangs to taste her blood. Moving his mouth next to her ear, he whispered, "Let's see if you can scream for me."

And she did. Oh! Did she scream! Her voice filled the clearing as he repositioned his mouth at her right breast and bit down hard, piercing her skin there with his fangs as he dug his claws into the other abused mound. He relished the rich, coppery taste of her blood as it flowed over his tongue. He could taste the power she held and it further fueled his desire.

As he suckled at her breast, drawing the blood out, he removed his claws from her skin and trailed his hand down her stomach, leaving slightly bloody welts behind. Once he reached the waist band of the skirt she was wearing, he slipped his claws underneath the material and shredded it.

Using his free hand, Inuyasha grabbed Kagome's hands and pinned them to the ground above her head. He then reached back down to where their bodies were touching and shredded her panties. As soon as the cool night air hit her skin, Kagome bucked wildly trying in vain to dislodge the demon from her hips. All this did was earn her another sound smack across the face, this time bringing a cut to her cheek.

Inuyasha lifted his body from hers just far enough that he could untie his hakama and force them down around his legs, freeing his erection. When he let his weight back down, he had shifted his position so that he was between her thighs. He then reached out to the side, grabbed the discarded piece of cloth from Kagome's shirt and tied her hands together.

Satisfied that the miko was sufficiently bound and worn out from struggling, pain and blood loss, the demon pushed her legs apart with his knees and grabbed onto her hips, sinking his claws in and pulling her up against him.

Kagome was in unimaginable agony. Her entire body was on fire from various cuts and scratches. When Inuyasha dragged her up against him, the torn flesh of her back was raked across the forest floor and the pain that followed was enough to send bursts of white through her vision. The world tilted around her as darkness threatened to pull her under. She was just welcoming the comforting state of unconsciousness when she felt Inuyasha's length press against her womanhood. She tried to scream but found that her voice was gone; her vocal cords had been abused too much already. 'Please! Somebody help me!' Kagome screamed in her mind, letting all her mental walls down in one last attempt to cry out for help.

The demon grinned down at the miko as he positioned himself against her folds. She wasn't wet at all and he knew it would make things more difficult for him, but he pressed onward just the same. It seemed like as though it took hours for him to push himself in far enough to reach her maidenhead and once he did, he pulled back out completely. He wanted to finish and quickly, and he knew he would need a good amount of thrust to break through the barrier that marked the girl as innocent.

Just as he was ready to bury himself to the hilt, he was thrown off of the miko below him as a body collided solidly against his chest.

As soon as the Reikai Tantei had stepped foot into the Sengoku Jidai, Hiei and Kurama caught the scent of the dog and Kagome.

Hiei was gone in a flash of black and white and Kurama turned to face Yusuke and Kuwabara. "I hope that the two of you can keep up. Just follow me." He didn't wait for their response, and instead took off running in the direction Hiei had gone.

Yusuke and Kuwabara had nodded their agreement briefly before sprinting along after their friend. They could both feel the residual terror of Kagome as they followed the demons ahead of them and prayed to Kami that they would make it to her in time.

The fire demon was running faster than he had thought himself capable of. He wasn't worried about losing the rest of his team, for he knew the fox was close behind and the others were on his heels. He had faith that they would keep his pace, or close to it, for they all knew the danger Kagome was in.

As he traveled on, the scent of the mutt's arousal and Kagome's terror and pain grew heavier and it forced him to keep the pace he had set. He and the group were closing in fast, he could tell and that gave him a moment's relief; until a voice tore into his mind with such agony and sorrow that it almost made him lose his footing.

It was Kagome! She was calling out, with what seemed to be the last of her energy, to anyone who could and would hear her. And her plea had reached his mind. As soon as her voice broke across his barriers, the Jagan opened wide. It had been stirring restlessly since the miko had been taken and now that it had proof she was still alive, it was reaching out for her in an attempt to locate her faster.

'Fox! I found her! She called out a mental plea and the Jagan caught it! She is still alive; we have to hurry!' He sent this thought with the highest sense of urgency he could muster.

Only a few feet had passed since he sent the message to his partner when the overpowering scent of blood – Kagome's blood – assaulted him in volumes so great it almost made him sick. He slowed his rapid pace slightly and let the rest of the group catch up to him.

As soon as the Spirit Detectives were reassembled, they crept silently towards the clearing in which Hiei knew Kagome to be. Upon reaching the edge of the forest, the Reikai Tantei collectively paled at the site that greeted them.

The clearing had various puddles of blood leading from one edge of the forest to the spot where Kagome and the dog were. The mikos clothing lay about shredded into nothingness and the transformed inu hanyou had a battered Kagome pulled up against him, ready to slam violently into the broken girl.

Kurama tentatively sniffed the air and was relieved to find the priestess's innocence still intact. He knew Hiei had picked up the same thing for he visibly relaxed a little. He turned to regard his partner and Hiei's eyes met his own. Kurama nodded his understanding, pulled a rose from his hair and told Yusuke and Kuwabara to ready themselves for battle.

In a flash, Hiei had crossed the expanse of the clearing and thrown himself bodily against the hanyou, sufficiently knocking him away from Kagome.

The dog slid across the ground and only stopped when his body was slammed against the trunk of a tree. He sat there for a moment, trying to shake the daze from his head and eyeing the four who had just interrupted him. It was the same four from Kagome's time.

Hiei was just about to leap at the hanyou and tear him apart when he felt a hand press down on his shoulder. He looked up into the golden eyes of Youko, "Leave him to us for now. Go to Kagome, she might not make it much longer and she needs you. Take her to the village we passed and ask for the village miko."

"Make sure you do not kill him yet. Kagome deserves to be the one to make that choice. She might want to kill him herself." Hiei replied with a snarl directed at the dog.

Youko smirked, "Indeed. We will make sure he is incapacitated for the time being." With that final statement, he directed his attention to Yusuke and Kuwabara. They both nodded, letting him know they understood that they were not to kill the hanyou.

Satisfied that his teammates would take care of the traitorous dog, Hiei turned and walked towards Kagome. As he got closer, he noticed she had rolled to her side and curled herself into a tight ball. The skin on her back had been torn to the bone and her milky white skin was covered in dirt, bruises, cuts and bite marks. The fire demon had to bite back a growl when he saw how battered and bloody her body was.

Tears streamed down her cheeks and she whimpered softly when she heard footsteps. She didn't know what had happened exactly. The only thing she was aware of was the fact that someone had knocked Inuyasha off of her and now someone was approaching her. Kagome had closed her eyes and kept them that way as soon as the weight of her former love was forced from her body and wasn't sure she wanted to open them just yet.

'**_Kagome. Do not be afraid. I am here to help you. Please let me.'_** Hiei let the words fall across her mind gently so as not to frighten her.

At the sound of a familiar voice in her mind, Kagome opened her eyes to look upon her savior.


	11. Chapter 11

"Well Lady Sango, do you think Inuyasha has behaved himself while we were away?" Miroku asked with a chuckle, knowing the answer before the question even left his lips. Inuyasha was always a handful and when Kagome was in her own time, he was even worse. He was fairly certain that the hanyou had driven the village crazy and beaten poor Shippou countless times by now, even though they had only been gone for six days.

Sango smiled at the monk, "You know better than that houshi. Inuyasha never behaves himself and without Kagome around to 'sit' him, I am sure he was a terror."

They were only a mile or so away from Lady Kaede's village and had decided to give Kirara a break and finish the distance on foot. It had been a beautiful day and they wanted to enjoy the cooler air of evening. Both were returning early simply because they had accomplished what they had wanted to early. Miroku had finished his tasks with Mushin a day earlier and had gone to the Taijiya village to meet up with Sango. When he had arrived, he was surprised to find that Sango was already packing up to leave, saying she had stayed long enough.

The two companions decided to just head back to the village that they both called home, despite the fact that they needn't be back for another day at the minimum. They really didn't have anything else to do so they figured they would just play lazy and enjoy the cooler days of upcoming autumn and wait for Kagome to return.

Coming up to the edge of the village, monk and taijiya were met by a thoroughly panicked and sobbing Shippou. "Miroku! sniff Sango! You have to sniff hurry!" Just as he finished with a hiccup, Shippou fell to the ground in a faint wrought of exhaustion and worry.

Sango picked the slumbering kit up in her arms and looked worryingly at Miroku. "Shippou never gets this worked up. Something must be wrong with Kagome!" With that, the slayer broke out into a run easily clearing the remaining distance between her and Kaede's hut with Miroku and Kirara on her heels.

As they four reached the elder miko's hut, they came upon two unknown humans waiting expectantly just outside the door. "Excuse me, what business do you have here?" Miroku asked calmly, fingering the beads on his rosary covered hand. He could tell these two were no normal humans and were possessed of high spirit energy. They also were attired similar to Kagome, which had instantly put him on guard, following the incident with Shippou at the edge of the forest.

Yusuke and Kuwabara shifted nervously under the gaze of the two in front of them. Kagome had been unconscious for two days already, despite the constant care of both Youko and Kaede, and they were on edge as it was. Their unease lessened though, when they noticed Shippou curled up in the woman's arms. "We are friends of Kagome's from her time. My name is Yusuke Urameshi, this is Kazuma Kuwabara and we are Spirit Detectives in the future. We came here with two others to save Kagome."

Sango paled and Miroku raised an eyebrow. "Yusuke, Kuwabara…My name is Miroku and this is Lady Sango. We have been traveling with Lady Kagome for the past four years. What has happened to her? Can we see her?"

The detectives shared a look before Yusuke proceeded with an explanation, "Well, she isn't in very good condition to start with. We met her about two days ago when we were assigned to protect her and travel with her here to help with your shard hunt. The four of us were at her house to talk with her about everything when your companion Inuyasha came and took Kagome back here. Our other two companions are youkai and knew she was in trouble so our boss sent us here to save her."

Yusuke took a steadying breathe, "We almost didn't make it in time." He finished in a near whisper. The group had seen quite a few things since becoming a team but nothing could have prepared them for what had been done to Kagome. Hearing a sharp intake of breath, Yusuke looked up at Miroku and Sango.

"What did that bastard do to her?" Sango ground out. Inuyasha had always been abusive to her little sister, but had yet to cross the line. Apparently, he had done just that while they were away and she was itching to bury Hiraikotsu into his skull. She felt Miroku place a calming hand on her shoulder and she relaxed, even if only a bit. The slayer moved over to Kirara and placed Shippou next to her on the ground to finish his impromptu nap before turning to regard the newcomers once more.

Kuwabara spoke up this time, seeing that Yusuke had already said enough. "Honestly, we don't really know what happened. When we came upon Kagome in a clearing, she was covered in blood and dirt. The only ones that seem to know what happened are Kagome and Hiei. Kagome is still unconscious and Hiei isn't talking."

"Who is Hiei and how is it he knows what has happened and no one else does?" Miroku asked, quirking an eyebrow. Things seemed to be taking a very unusual turn and he didn't want to be left in the dust wondering what happened.

All four humans jumped from their skins when they heard a deathly calm and quiet voice from the entrance to the hut, "I am Hiei and I know what happened because Kagome showed me. You are her friends?"

Sango and Miroku turned to regard the newest face. This short, spiky haired young man was obviously one of the youkai that Yusuke had mentioned as a teammate. The monk could feel the strength that radiated off of the small demon and was instantly thankful that he was friend and not foe.

"Yes we are. She is family to us. Please, will she be alright?" Sango asked with tears in her eyes. Kagome was the only family that the small group had. The time traveling miko had come to mean so much to Sango, Miroku and Shippou that the thought of her dying by anyone's hands, let alone Inuyasha's, was almost more than the strong slayer could bear.

Sighing heavily, Hiei walked from the doorway of the hut to take up a place near the barely burning fire. He sat and waited patiently as the members of both his group and Kagome's huddled close to him. All were desperate to finally hear what had befallen the young woman who had become so close to them all.

Seeing as how everyone had finally become settled, Hiei began. "I trust that the two of you already know how we know Kagome, correct?" Seeing a nod from both humans, he continued. "Then I will skip to the information you are all most eager to hear. Inuyasha raped Kagome, though we made it to her in time to save her innocence. From what I have learned from my time with her, she and the dog were very close. That alone may be the reason for her continued unconsciousness."

The fire demon heard the sharp intake of air from the four and had to pause to give them time to register everything. That and hearing it all out loud made it even harder on him. Sango was barely containing her sobs and Miroku had traces of tears down his cheeks. Even the two detectives were struggling with their emotions.

Hiei took another deep breathe before he resumed speaking. "That damn mutt nearly broke her. Her body has been healing nicely thanks to Lady Kaede and Youko, but her soul is still shattered. Inuyasha committed a most atrocious act and it has torn her mind and soul to ribbons. I have been working alongside the ones healing her body in an attempt to heal her mind, but it is slow coming. Kagome's physical injuries will be fully healed in another day's time, but I don't yet know if her emotional and mental injuries will ever recover."

Upon hearing this, the sobs from the four that had been muted took on heart-wrenching sound. The slayer broke down completely and sobbed into the monk's robes as he himself cried for their friend. Hiei knew they would take it bad because he had taken it bad. In the short amount of time that he had been aware of the miko, his very soul had been touched by her and seeing her so shattered made his heart ache.

He felt no need to sugar coat what Kagome had been through even though he was speaking with her friends. They would have to know how badly she had been damaged if there was going to be any hope of helping her. Hiei knew also that they would have questions for him, so he waited patiently until they had their emotions under control.

Sango was the first to find her voice, simply because she had questions and was ready to demand answers. Her sister had been harmed in a most brutal way and at the hands of the first man she had ever loved. Sango was going to assure that Kagome had redemption. "Where is that bastard? I hope you haven't killed him yet because I want a piece of him."

That was the point in time where Youko decided he might as well make himself known to the newcomers as well. He had heard the entirety of the conversation and knew that the other members of their group needed some time apart from talking. "He lives for now, though for how long will depend upon Kagome. He is being restrained in the forest in the clearing of his misdeeds."

Sango and Miroku turned to face the newest voice and were taken aback at seeing a silver kitsune. Neither had ever seen one and had almost thought them to be myth due to their rarity. Yet, here was one in perfect form standing before them.

Youko gave a small bow to the miko's friends and introduced himself. "I am Youko Kurama. I am half of the last member of the Spirit Detectives and before you ask about the other half, I will show you."

With that, Youko receded to the back of Kurama's mind and let the redhead take over once more. Youko had taken total control of the shared body in the clearing because he knew that his strength and abilities would be needed for both the restraint and subjugation of the hanyou, as well as the extensive healing of the priestess. He was handing control back to Kurama now because he knew that Kagome's body was almost healed.

Monk and slayer watched in awe as the silver kitsune shifted. Silver hair became crimson and golden eyes became emerald. Though both had heard of such a thing as an avatar, they had never been witness to such a spectacle. 'Lady Kagome sure makes some unusual acquaintances.' Was the shared thought between the two.

Kurama bowed as well to the houshi and taijiya, "I am Kurama. Youko has been working tirelessly with Lady Kaede to heal Kagome and though she is fairing well, she is far from being out of the woods. We left Inuyasha in the woods because we only thought it fitting that Kagome choose the punishment for him."

Hiei sat idly by the group as they continued to discuss the traitorous hanyou and possible punishment for him. He smirked inwardly as the thoughts of what the fox would most like to do to the dog filtered across his senses, though he had already entertained many such notions.

For the hundredth time since meeting Kagome, Hiei found himself frustrated with his own emotions. He knew that he wasn't supposed to feel or be capable of love and feelings of the like, but somehow, when Kagome was concerned, he couldn't put a stop to them. The fire demon had never been in love and therefore wasn't entirely sure what that particular feeling consisted of. What he _did_ know was that Kagome was extremely special and she made him feel calm and at peace. Now, the very soul that had granted him his first moments of true contentment was in jeopardy.

He knew that the fox had an attraction to the miko as well and hated the fact that she needed Youko at that point in time more than she needed him. Despite his partner's earlier feelings and actions towards Kagome, he had begun to wonder whether or not the fox was actually going to try and win the girl's affections. It seemed to him that both Kurama and Youko had come to the decision to let Hiei have his chance well before they made a move.

This very suspicion had been confirmed by none other than Youko less than a day ago. Hiei had been more than melancholic since the incident and Youko had told him to stay strong, that Kagome was going to need him more than anyone.

Now, Hiei was back to struggling with his feelings. He had been granted access to Kagome's mind inexplicably and was nearly brought to tears by the things he found as he waded through her subconscious. Hiei had been slowly piecing her world back together in her mind while she slept on and was left in shock when he realized how much Kagome had loved Inuyasha and just how many times he had betrayed her love and trust.

The fire demon had also come across a few wayward thoughts that concerned him and was most intrigued. He thought it almost impossible for a human to have any kind of positive feelings towards youkai, but Kagome had love for some of them. He had found that she loved a hanyou, a kitsune kit, a fire neko and even an ookami youkai. Hiei had also found a place in her mind where he alone resided. This place, however, hadn't had time to develop before her soul was shattered. It still made him feel good though.

Hearing some talk about what attempts would be best to try to help heal Kagome's mind and soul, Hiei began dragging himself from his own musings to join the conversation. Sango had just suggested taking Kagome back to her own era when he heard it.

'_**Hiei, what happened?'**_

He very nearly choked on his own tongue when Kagome's soft voice brushed across his mind. For the past two days while he sat with her, she had never even acknowledged his presence and now, she was talking to him. He shrugged off his shock and made his way into the hut and to the bedside of the woman who was slowly beginning to own his heart.


	12. Chapter 12

A heavy sigh sounded out against the silence of the clearing where a silver-haired hanyou was currently being held. He had woken up tied to this Kami forsaken tree two days ago and was immediately confused as to why. The last thing Inuyasha remembered was going to Kagome's time and finding her in a rather 'tender' moment with another youkai.

He strained against his bonds for the thousandth time since he had been awake, only to find that they still held as tight as they had been. Inuyasha was sore all over, he was hungry and the entire clearing reeked of Kagome's blood and something else he couldn't quite name. The whole situation made his stomach turn and he had to fight back the bile that rose from his stomach.

The hanyou coughed and sputtered as he forced the putrid liquid back down his sore throat. He desperately needed a drink and his body ached to be stretched. Inuyasha had spent countless hours screaming at the top of his lungs in an attempt to get someone, _anyone_ to come into the clearing, but it was all to no avail. No one ever came.

The more time that he spent awake, the more his predicament started to bother him. Not because he was uncomfortable, he was, and not because he was pissed beyond belief, that went without saying. He was uncomfortable because he couldn't remember what had transpired. All that he could bring to mind was being in Kagome's era and then awakening to find himself restrained to a tree by some very powerful vines in a clearing that reeked of the miko's blood.

Searching the area of his imprisonment yet again, his golden eyes caught something they had missed before. A strip of cloth lay out in the middle of the clearing. He focused a little more and realized what it was. It was from Kagome's shirt! The one she had been wearing two days ago….

…and that was when it hit him. Everything that he had done to the little miko from the future came flooding back and crashed against him in waves. Tears coursed down his cheeks and he wretched when a sob broke free and forced the smell of the clearing to assault his nose. 'Kami…what have I done?'

Kagome awoke with a start and found herself staring up at the ceiling that could only be the one in Kaede's hut. Her entire body ached and when she tried to move, her muscles screamed in protest. "Kaede?" she said from her place on the futon, though it only came out as a harsh, yet quiet whisper. Her throat felt positively raw and she badly needed a drink. It was obvious that she couldn't get up to get a drink and apparently, her voice wouldn't work either.

Taking one more look around the room and finding it empty, Kagome decided to try the telepathic link she had with Hiei. She knew he was just outside the hut. His presence had been calming to her while she was tossed about in the darkness. The miko wasn't sure how long she had been out or the details as to why; all she knew was that she had felt the fire demon in her mind and it had soothed her.

She took a deep breathe and closed her eyes. **_'Hiei, what happened?'_** Kagome could feel Hiei jump at the sound of her voice and hoped she hadn't upset him by barging in on his mental status. She had just begun to berate herself for her intrusion when someone slipped a warm hand into hers.

Hiei looked down at the miko on the futon, her soft voice still ringing in his mind. He absentmindedly snuck his hand into hers and hoped she would be able to handle what he was about to tell her. He knew she remembered next to nothing of what had transpired because it was his own doing.

Throughout the time he had been working to heal her mind, he had set up a few barriers to hold back the memories of Inuyasha's attack. He had left enough feelings present so Kagome would know that something rather unpleasant had happened, but not enough to give it away and not so much that it would scare her beyond repair. Hiei knew she would take the ordeal hard and was doing his best to make sure it wouldn't shatter her.

He had been so caught up in thinking about how to explain things to her that he didn't notice Kagome turn her head to let her stormy blue orbs fall upon him. She lightly squeezed his hand and said **_'Hiei, what happened? I remember being at my house with you and the others when Inuyasha took me. I remember him bringing me back to the Feudal Era….and then I woke up here. I have a terrible feeling though. Something bad happened, didn't it?'_**

Letting a heavy sigh escape his lips, Hiei nodded his head and stood up. He sat down on the bed next to her, still holding her hand, and began to inform the confused miko. "Kagome, you don't remember what happened because I blocked it from you."

Kagome arched an eyebrow in silent question and he continued. "When Inuyasha took you, we went back to the Reikai and had Koenma transport us here. Kurama and I followed your scent to a clearing. That damn dog had torn you up, Kagome. The entire area smelled of your blood. We got there just in time to stop him from taking your innocence. You have been unconscious for two days."

All time seemed to come to a screeching halt. 'Inuyasha? Tore me up? That is why my body hurts so much. Wait….taking my innocence!' Kagome's body began shaking violently as all the memories came tumbling back.

Flashback

Inuyasha chuckled, sending shivers down the miko's spine. "What I mean, my dear Kagome, is that I am going to take you, right here and right now and when I am finished with you, I will leave you for dead for betraying me. If you die, then so be it. You will be better off. If you live, you will be tainted. No one will ever want you; not that they would have in the first place."

End Flashback

Hiei watched Kagome carefully as what he had told her sank in. At first, she seemed to still not remember, and then he noticed a haunted look cross her eyes. He knew at that moment that she was experiencing it all over again. Seeing Kagome's body start to tremble and tears run down her cheeks, Hiei momentarily panicked. He knew she was in a fragile state of mind and had to do something to help sooth her.

So, he did the only thing he could think of. He got up from his spot next to her on the bed and gently pulled her into a sitting position. Holding her gently, but firmly, Hiei climbed onto the futon behind her and wrapped his arms around her body, pulling her back to his chest. Slowly, he began to stroke her raven hair. '_It's just as soft as I thought it would be.'_

Kagome's body cried out when she was pulled up from her laying place and she tensed when Hiei climbed behind her and wrapped her up in his arms. Her mind swirled with all the events that had happened and she felt as though she were losing her grip on sanity. Just as a strong feeling of anxiety crawled across her skin, Kagome felt his hand gently running through her hair. She stilled for a moment and began to relax into his touch. It felt so good to just be held.

"Kagome, I know you have been through so much but all of your friends are here to help you. The monk and taijiya arrived earlier today and are outside now talking with Kurama. I am here for you too. I promise I won't let anything happen to you again." Hiei said in a gentle whisper, knowing she would hear him. 'Wait…what? Why did I say that? Do I really want to make that kind of promise to a human? _Yes you do._'

All doubts were thrown away when he felt her sobs stop altogether. **_'Sango and Miroku are here? Am I well enough to get up? I could really use a bath; I am hungry and so thirsty.'_**

A small smile started forming at the corners of the fire demons mouth. "Yes they are here and all your wounds have healed, so you can do whatever you like. Just take it easy; you have been out for awhile and your muscles might not like too much movement."

Kagome nodded in understanding and was about to ask him if he could help her stand when she remembered something. She wanted to know what had happened to Inuyasha. **_'Hiei. What happened to Inuyasha? Did you….kill him?'_** After she asked, she almost didn't want to know. Kagome knew that if they had killed him, it was because he deserved it, but that didn't mean she wouldn't mourn him.

The koorime just sighed. He had been waiting for her to ask about the hanyou. "No Kagome. We didn't kill him, though it was hard not to. He is being …._restrained_ in the woods as of right now. We all thought it best that you be conscious enough to make a decision on his fate. Though, I think your slayer friend might very well be itching to rip him limb from limb."

The thought of Sango and her temper made the miko laugh slightly. She couldn't wait to make it outside and see her sister, even though she was rather enjoying the warmth of the body behind her. 'Bad Kagome! What are you thinking? Inuyasha was right…no one will want me. Especially not a full youkai.'

Hearing a small tinkling of laughter coming from the girl in his arms startled Hiei at first. She seemed to be taking this far better than he thought she would. Then, he felt her stiffen and smelt the salt of her tears again. "Kagome….are you alright? Why are you crying?"

The miko sniffed and wiped at her tears. 'Way to show another how weak you are.' **_'I'm sorry Hiei. I know I am weak and worthless. You don't have to stay here with me anymore. Please, can you get Sango for me?'_**

Hiei was floored. How could she think so little of herself? She had just survived something horrendous and here she was degrading herself to him? _'Stupid hanyou. How could he break down such a beautiful soul?'_ He was just about to voice his questions when he heard her.

"Kagome?"

Sango had been sitting listening to Miroku and the Spirit Detectives talking about what to do with Inuyasha and Kagome. It had just been suggested that Kagome be returned to her time to recuperate when Hiei had gotten up and walked into the hut that housed the fallen miko.

The slayer had seen the flash of emotion cross the fire youkai's red eyes more than once while talking about her friend. It was obvious that Kagome held a place in Hiei's heart and she wondered if he knew something about her he wasn't telling.

Seeing as how the guys were busy discussing punishment for the traitorous hanyou, Sango stood up and quietly made her way inside the hut. She stood silently and listened as Hiei told Kagome about what had happened. Her own heart nearly broke when she heard her friend sobbing and decided to make her presence known.

"Kagome?" Sango said into the darkness of the room, waiting for her eyes to adjust. She caught movement from in front of her and focused her attention on it. She saw Hiei sitting on the futon holding a distraught Kagome to his chest.

"Slayer, I was just about to come and find you. Kagome would like to take a bath. I trust you can help her? I will have some food ready for her when she returns." Hiei said as he stood and helped the miko to her feet. She stood shakily, but Hiei held her fast to make sure she didn't fall.

Sango rushed forward and wrapped her strong arm around Kagome's waist, letting the girls' weight rest against her side. "Of course. Make sure that hentai houshi stays here."

Hiei nodded and left the women.

"Oh Kagome! I – we – were so worried about you! I am so happy to see you awake. Kurama was worried that there may have been too much damage done for you to wake up. Well, that doesn't matter. You are awake now and we are going to go have a nice bath." Sango said with a genuine smile as she gathered the necessary bathing supplies, supporting Kagome the entire time.

"Sango.…water….please…." Kagome managed to choke out. Her throat hurt badly and she really wanted to be able to talk to Sango. Sure, her entire body was aflame with pain, but she knew that would go away as soon as she got into the hot springs.

"Sure thing Kagome." Sango handed the girl a cup of cool water and helped lift it to her lips. Kagome finished the water in one drink and still looked thirsty. "More?" As Kagome nodded, Sango chuckled.

Kagome was back and that was all that mattered.


	13. Chapter 13

Sango walked through the hut slowly making sure to give Kagome enough time for each step. They made it out of the door without incident and as soon as they came out into the fading afternoon sun, they were faced with a collective gasp and the ecstatic and somewhat surprised faces of their companions.

The sudden sound made Shippou stir and sit up. He groggily rubbed at his eyes, "What is it? Why is everyone so quiet?" The kit looked up to the person he was lying next to, which happened to be Miroku, and nudged him. Miroku's eyes never faltered in their gaze as he reached down, put his hand on Shippou's head and turned him to face the direction in which they all were staring.

Kagome smiled softly at her adopted son. He was always so cute when he woke up. Seeing Miroku turn him around, Kagome braced herself for the inevitable as she saw his eyes widen.

He knew he had tears in his eyes, but at the moment he didn't care. He had spent so much time awake and worrying over her and now, his mother was awake and looking at him with a smile. It was that smile that shook him from his stupor and as soon as he recovered, he launched himself at her.

An audible 'oomph' was heard from the miko as Shippou hurled himself into her arms. He had grown a lot in the last four years and wasn't the tiny ball of fur he used to be. She barely managed to maintain her balance and surely would have fallen over under his assault of hugs and kisses, had it not been for Sango holding her up.

"Mama…I was sniff so worried about you. sniff, sniff I thought you weren't going to wake up and sniff I don't want to be left alone again." Shippou wailed into her chest and Kagome cuddled him for all he was worth. It was then she realized he had called her 'mama'. The miko always knew the kitsune took to her like a mother since his parents had been killed, but never knew how good it would feel to have him call her that.

Pulling Shippou back from her chest, Kagome looked down into his watery green eyes. "Mama?" She said with a slight smile that broadened when he blushed.

"I-I'm sorry, Kagome. I didn't mean to….it just slipped out!" Shippou all but wailed. He had always wanted to be able to call her mama but knew he should have asked her.

The small outburst from Shippou caused Kagome to chuckle lightly and hug him to her once again, "Don't worry about it sweetie. I would love for you to call me mama." With that, she kissed him on the head.

Looking up from the kitsune in her arms, Kagome found both groups, new and old; watching the display with various smiles and tears. All these people were here…for her? 'That can't be right. Inuyasha told me no one would want me.' And as that one particular memory came back to her mind, she whimpered and hugged Shippou a little closer.

All those gathered outside the hut watched on as Kagome and Shippou cuddled together. It was good to see a smile on the miko's face, even if it didn't quite reach her eyes. They all had their eyes on her, waiting to see if she would show any more signs indicating she was at least healed somewhat from her ordeal. It had only been two days, but Kagome was strong and they all knew that they would be there for her.

Miroku heard Kagome whimper softly just before she buried her face in Shippou's hair. He was sure he wasn't the only one to hear it, but he wasn't going to sit around and wait for someone else to acknowledge it. His friend was awake finally and now it was time for her to heal.

Standing up and adjusting his robes, the monk walked over the little miko and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. He almost cried and felt his heart lurch in his chest when she raised her tear-filled eyes to his. Kagome had always been the epitome of strength and love in their little rag-tag group and here she was, looking every bit the part of a broken and forgotten doll.

Kagome looked up when she felt a hand on her shoulder and instantly locked onto the violet gaze of Miroku. The look in his eyes was sad and questioning and it made her heart ache. She temporarily forgot about his normally lecherous ways and flung herself into his arms, sobbing against his chest.

The monk stiffened for a second when Kagome threw herself into his arms, but wrapped them around her tightly when he felt her tears soak through the purple and black fabric on his chest. He began to stroke her hair and spoke softly into her ear, "Lady Kagome….what is it? I know how hurt you are, but we are all here to help you. We all love you my friend and it hurts to see you so sad. Please, let us help."

Sniffling lightly so as not to choke on her sobs, Kagome replied in a strained voice that came out muffled by the monk's robes; "Is that really true, Miroku? Inu-Inuyasha t-told me th-that no one would w-want me anymore. That nobody ever did to begin with."

Now, Miroku had always been a pacifist and only resorted to violent tendencies as a last resort, but hearing those hateful words fall from Kagome's lips set his blood to boiling and it took all the strength of will he possessed to refrain from going to Inuyasha and killing him on the spot. The little miko from the future represented everything that was good and pure in the world; how could anyone not want some part of her?

Tightening his hold on Kagome, Miroku spoke with all the emotion and conviction he had in his heart, "Kagome that is the farthest thing from the truth. Everyone here cares for you very much. There hasn't been one of us that have left the village and some of us have had to be forcefully removed from your bedside."

His words came out a little louder than he had wanted due to the fact that he was trying to restrain his anger and at upon hearing them, Kurama spoke up. "What do you mean, Miroku? What are you talking about?"

The monk turned slightly to regard the fox and noticed that he wasn't the only one who had heard the words spoken to the priestess. Sighing, Miroku made his way to a nearby log and sat down, still holding Kagome to his chest and settling her in his lap, as she had fallen asleep once again. He continued to stroke her hair and answered the questioning gazes of all gathered.

"Inuyasha has made Lady Kagome truly believe that she is worth little more than the ground we walk upon and that no one could ever possibly want her in any way. It seems as though she is far more broken than we thought." Miroku paused to gulp in a much needed breathe and settle his emotions before continuing softly; "I am even wondering if she will ever recover. It takes a lot of abuse to break down a strong soul and she possesses the strongest I have ever known. We will all have to try extra hard to bring her back to us."

Looking back up at the enlarged group, the monk noticed everyone had varying expressions of sorrow, anger and concern crossing their eyes. It made him smile inside to know how many people cared and were willing to help heal his broken friend.

The rapidly setting sun cast beautiful rays of purple, red and gold across the statuesque figure of the Western Lord as he walked alongside Ah-Un, with Rin perched on his back and Jaken grumbling about 'stupid humans'.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, how long will it be before we get to see Lady Kagome?" Rin asked in a sweet voice. She had made friends with the miko throughout the times they had met when the brothers would battle. It had been quite some time since Rin had seen Kagome and had just recently asked Sesshoumaru if they could go visit her.

Sesshoumaru didn't really hate Inuyasha anymore, but couldn't say he liked him much either. Their continual fights had turned more into sparring matches over the last couple of years and had lessened in intensity. Sesshoumaru had wondered over this turn of events many nights and had come to the conclusion that it was all due to the miko.

The Great Demon Lord had come to the conclusion that although the priestess was indeed human, she was far from weak or pathetic. The girl, Kagome, had immense amounts of holy powers and an aura that seemed almost too big to be housed in her small frame. She was also immensely loyal and ceaselessly compassionate. The Lord of the West had even wondered if she truly hated Naraku, or just felt sorry for the vile hanyou.

It was due to more to the miko's many redeeming qualities than the fact that Rin was so taken with her that Sesshoumaru had agreed to seek her out. He found that she lacked the continual scent of death that seemed ingrained into humans and her purity seemed to calm his very soul. All in all, her presence was soothing to the Great Dog, though he would sooner die than admit it to anyone.

And so, the small group had set out towards Inuyasha's forest to find the half-breed and the miko that traveled with him.

The small group had just entered into an area less overgrown by foliage when Sesshoumaru stopped in his tracks. His extremely keen and sensitive sense of smell picked up a scent that instantly made his stomach turn. Barely inclining his head to look back over his shoulder, he spoke to his entourage, "Rin, we will make camp here for the night and will reach Inuyasha's forest tomorrow."

He then gestured to his retainer and the faithful toad demon closed the gap to his master. "Jaken," Sesshoumaru said, "Make camp here and keep close watch on Rin. There is something I must attend to."

Jaken bowed low to the Taiyoukai, "Yes Lord Sesshoumaru." He followed with a gulp, seeing the gleam in his masters' eye that told him of the dire consequences he would face, should any harm befall the Lord's young ward.

Nodding in satisfaction, Sesshoumaru resumed his leisurely pace into the denser area of the woods. Once he was sure he was out of range of his party, he took to flight with a sense of urgency.

The closer he got to the area that demanded his attention, the stronger the scents became and the harder they assaulted his sensitive Inu nose, throwing his olfactory into overdrive. Finally, he broke through the heavy foliage and shuddered to a stop in a clearing where the stench was the strongest.

Blood. A lot of blood and the strong scent of arousal permeated the very air in the clearing, hanging over it like a dense fog. He recognized the scents and his eyes began bleed red as his mind pieced together what must have happened in the clearing. He could smell the blood and fear of the very miko he was looking for; and the smell of desire was from none other than his own half-brother. The scents were so closely intermingled that the Great Dog knew at once what had transpired.

His half-brother had once again brought shame to his family name. Sesshoumaru knew that it wasn't below any being- youkai or human –to force themselves on a female, but for the son of the Great and Terrible Dog General to do so was nothing short of blasphemous. Even if said son was hanyou.

Just as his claws began to lengthen and flex with his rage, he heard the tired and strained voice of the very one he was longing to tear apart.

"What brings you to this part of the forest, Sesshoumaru? Come to make things a little worse for the worthless half-breed?" Inuyasha spat from his place against the tree. He knew he really wasn't in a position to defend himself and he could see the crimson seeping into the golden gaze of the Western Lord from across the way.

It didn't matter to him anymore though. He was tired, hungry and his body and, more prominently, his heart hurt. Inuyasha had remembered all that had happened … all that he had to done to the one person who had accepted him without pause and his shame and deep seeded regret had intensified to the point where he honestly no longer cared if he lived or died. He had even been almost hoping that Kikyou would come calling to take him to hell so he wouldn't have to sit in the clearing that reeked of his traitorous deeds.

Sesshoumaru snapped his head in the direction of Inuyasha's voice. At first, he was tempted to pounce on the whelp and let his claws bath in the hanyou's blood, but the notes of sorrow and regret that tainted the half-breeds harsh words were enough to make him pause. 'It sounds as though he has resigned himself to death already. It would be dishonorable for me to kill him in such a state.' With his conscious slowly regaining control of his raging Youkai, Sesshoumaru made his way to the listless form of Inuyasha.


	14. Chapter 14

She felt like she was swimming in a lake of tar; dark, thick and foreboding. Her impromptu nap had done little to help her, seeing as how she was plagued by dreams of what had happened. Her entire body ached, her heart felt heavy and her mind felt suspiciously like a jigsaw puzzle. At that point in time, Kagome wanted nothing more than to slip back into the comforting darkness of a dreamless sleep; her stomach, however protested soundly at the idea of being ignored once more in favor of unconsciousness. With a mental sigh, the young miko forced herself to wakefulness, only to find that she was deliciously warm and was being cradled against a very nice chest.

It had taken a good amount of persuasive words from the silver-tongued monk to convince all in attendance that slaying the baka hanyou before Kagome was able to pass her own judgment upon him and the situation would be robbing her of something that could prove to be detrimental to her healing process. Though none present were too happy with the idea of the lovable miko having to face the bastard again, they knew she earned the right to make the choice concerning the one who had held her heart for so long.

The one who had abused that heart at every turn and finally shattered the strong willed girl.

After Kagome had fallen asleep in Miroku's attentive grasp, she had started to whimper and tremble. Her friends from both eras looked on helplessly as her face contorted in a pain none of them could ever even begin to comprehend and hot tears burned her porcelain cheeks. The monk had hugged her closer and stroked her hair softly in an attempt to calm is heartbroken friend. It seemed to have worked momentarily, but soon after she had quieted down, her whimpers had come back with a vengeance.

No one, save for Hiei, had seen the girl this way before. The raven haired beauty lying so broken in her friends arms had always had more strength than the Inu-tachi had combined and seeing her terrified of the things that played through her mind was disconcerting. Even the Reikai-tantei had taken notice of the girl's inner strength and unquestionable loyalty and had been impressed. This was a seemingly normal, frail ningen. And she had more heart, soul and inner fire than any one being any of them had ever met.

Just as Miroku raised his saddened violet orbs from Kagome to ask someone for assistance, he found himself looking into the crimson gaze of the fire apparition. A look passed silently between the two causing the monk to stand and deposit his precious bundle into the embrace of the hybrid before walking to stand next to Sango.

Hiei had been relaxing (somewhat) in the branches of a nearby tree, silently taking in the scene between Kagome and the people who would be responsible for helping her to heal. He had let a small smile come to his lips at the exchange that took place with the kitsune pup and the miko knowing that no one was around to see it. Watching the way she smiled at the kit gave him hope that maybe she would be able to heal relatively well.

Those hopes had been torn asunder upon hearing her statement to the houshi and he had to pull hard on the reigns holding his demon blood in check. Every ounce of his being screamed out and clawed at him to spill the hanyou's blood and it was only the well placed words of the monk that had given him that final push back into sanity. Once Hiei had calmed a bit and rid himself of his bloodlust, he turned his attention back to the girl that had been occupying his every thought since he had met her.

The koorime had led a hard life. He was never meant to be in the first place and growing up as a Forbidden Child was worse than growing up as a hanyou. Kindness and humanity was not meant to be bestowed upon one such as he and he had lived through the entirety of his life by being a ruthless and cold blooded killer.

Upon his joining with the Spirit Detectives, Yusuke had actually asked him if he had found a demoness that he had an interest in taking as a mate. Had he been any other being, he would have full out laughed in the detectives' face. Him, the Forbidden Child, take a mate? Not in this century or any subsequent ones. Not that he had an aversion to such an idea per se or that he had any qualms in bedding a female, but it was simply something he had never even entertained.

Hiei was no fool and knew well that his reputation would never allow him so much as a relationship, let alone the opportunity to take a mate. And love? That idea was even more laughable than the idea of a life partner. He hadn't even been shown love by the ones that brought him into this uncaring world; how could he ever expect to feel an emotion like that from the likes of a female? More to the point, would he be able to even feel love? He knew he could feel lust. He was male and youkai; lust was a feeling he knew all too well.

However, taking a mate was more than just lust and primal urges. It was cementing your existence to one being. A situation he knew that would require love and trust on both ends for it to even work; and it would have to work because a life mate for a youkai is far beyond the 'marriage' term that was associated with humans. He had seen many humans marry and later dissolve said arrangement due to such things as petty arguments.

The hybrid was both envious and disgusted by the liberties humans had. Knowing that they could easily obtain something called a 'divorce' that would end their union, humans never seemed to take marriage seriously. They had no need of honor or loyalty for such relationships which could be taken any number of ways.

Now, the little fire youkai found himself not only seriously thinking on the idea of taking a mate, but was picturing said relationship with none other than a human miko.

Further thought on this subject, however was not to be had this day. Hiei was shaken from his inner musings when he smelled the salty scent of tears and the unbearable smell of terror and deep rooted sorrow radiating from Kagome. He was just bracing himself to leap down to the forest floor when the Jagan pulled towards the miko of its own accord. He had felt this happen already concerning the miko so it wasn't a complete shock, but it was still odd. The Jagan was indeed sentient and had delved a little deeper into things in the past on its own, but it had _never_ pulled towards anything the way it did to Kagome.

The human miko's very soul called out to his and now it seemed as though her entire being was following suit; and his Jagan wasn't about to let it slide. As soon as the Jagan flared to life, it found its way to Kagome … and the images and emotions that filtered into Hiei's mind were so strong that he was nearly brought to his knees. The poor girl's mind was awash in the memories of what she had been through with the hanyou and not just the most recent vile act. His constant nagging at her, throwing insults her way and tearing down her self esteem. It was a wonder this girl even had a will to live at all.

Finally, the fire youkai could take no more and forced his Jagan to let the girl be with the silent promise that he would be at her side momentarily. Once the implant was appeased, Hiei jumped down from the tree and was standing before the houshi in the blink of an eye. As soon as the monk turned his violet gaze to lock with his crimson one, he knew that Miroku was breaking inside from seeing Kagome in such a state. Without word, he took the broken tenshi from the monk's arms and settled down next to the fire with her locked securely in his embrace.

Hiei had just settled down against a log by the fire with the others following his lead, when he felt Kagome stir in his grasp. Originally, he had thought she would either start whimpering yet again or would simply go back to sleep. However, when he looked down into her face, his eyes locked with her dark blue ones and he had to bite back the urge to gasp at the emotions displayed there; hope, despair, sadness, a touch of happiness. 'What an odd creature.'

She smiled slightly, when she realized it was Hiei who was holding her so close. It felt good to just be held and she felt safe with him. Oh, she knew he was dangerous. Far more so than Inuyasha had ever been and she should be afraid of him. Yet, she wasn't. She felt comforted in his presence and being around him seemed to make things a little easier.

It almost seemed as though he cared for her as much as she had begun to care for him. Kagome had been getting over Inuyasha little by little, though it was hard and she wasn't sure she was ready or capable of loving another so soon. She didn't love Hiei…not yet anyway. Though, she could see it as a possibility. 'What am I thinking? He won't love me. He is youkai. Not even a hanyou could love me.' She knew she would have to distance herself from him and already that thought made her uncomfortable. She liked being around him but she knew she wasn't worthy of him.

The miko was shaken from her thoughts when she felt the fire apparition move against her. She sighed once again at the turn her thoughts always took and lifted her eyes to look at Hiei.

Time seemed to stop around the campfire. Hiei and Kagome appeared to be lost in a moment that no one else would be privy to. The various group members sat around the two in silence, waiting with baited breathe to find out something…_anything_. All knew she was hurting terribly; the pain in her heart and soul far outdoing her physical pain. Kagome had always been the pinnacle of light and love amidst the shard hunters and it tore at them all to see her hurt so by the one she had loved.

Shippou didn't really know what was going on and he didn't really care either. Kagome was awake once more and that was all that mattered to him. She had been hurt too much lately and he was scared; scared for her and for them all. He didn't know if she could recover from whatever had happened to her. He had noticed how much more lifeless her eyes had seemed when he looked at her before and he didn't like it. Swallowing his nervousness, he padded softly over to where his mother sat in the arms of the fire youkai.

Kagome broke her connection with Hiei, albeit reluctantly, when she felt Shippou coming towards her. Turning her head from crimson eyes, she stared into soft, slightly watery emerald ones. 'At least Shippou will always love me.' Kagome thought and flashed her kit one of her famous smiles.

Seeing the young miko smiling that way made every person present a little lighter at heart, even though a few could still feel her lingering sorrow and pain. Hiei almost wanted to growl at the kit for getting a bright smile from the girl who was slowly stealing his heart while he had yet to since the incident. He swallowed that growl when he felt her obvious happiness wash through her aura. The kit would help her heal and right now, that was all that mattered.

Shippou returned his mother's smile rather hesitantly, still not entirely comfortable around the very strong and dangerous youkai. He could tell that the hybrid cared for Kagome on some level, but he wasn't ready to just hand her over to another youkai unless his intentions were true. So, the young kitsune puffed up his little chest and steeled his courage before closing the gap between him and the young miko.

Hiei had been watching the kit closely from his position with Kagome. He knew that Shippou viewed Kagome as his mother and had been wondering how the pup would react to his presence. He felt the young one's hesitation, but he presented no fear whatsoever and this intrigued the apparition. Letting his Jagan free just a bit, he felt around the thoughts of Shippou. 'He better not hurt my momma. I don't care how strong he is. No one will hurt her again.'

Of all the things that the koorime had expected, these thoughts weren't on the list. He assumed the kitsune's thoughts would be plagued with more worrisome thoughts of his own safety or some such thing. Finding only concern for his 'momma' made his eyebrow arch in curiosity and intrigue. This little youkai, barely old enough to be on his own, was ready to stand up to the Forbidden Child for his surrogate human miko mother. 'She may not be his biological mother, but he is definitely her kit.'

At this, Hiei internally smirked. Shippou would help Kagome greatly.

Stepping up in front of Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru grasped the hanyou's chin none too gently with his clawed hand and forced his half-brother to meet his gaze. The Taiyoukai could smell the regret and sadness that radiated from the hanyou and saw the pain reflected in his eyes.

"What have you done this time, little brother? Is there no end to your shame?" The Demon Lord asked with an angry edge to his icy tone that sent shivers down Inuyasha's spine.

"Fuck you Sesshoumaru. None of this is any business of yours. Besides, I am sure that your 'full youkai' sense of smell has already told you more than enough." Inuyasha spat angrily. He just wanted this nightmare to end and right now the only thing that could make it worse than seeing the arrogant dog in front of him would be to see that equally arrogant wolf.

Before Inuyasha had time to comprehend what was going on, he felt the long, deadly fingers of the Western Lord wrap firmly around his neck. His amber gaze widened slightly as the air was squeezed from his windpipe. "You, hanyou, are in no position to speak to me in such a way. I am well aware of what has transpired here and it sickens me. I may not be a lover of humans, but that little miko was exceptional. She offered you more than any other being ever would and you have destroyed her."

"You…don't know…the whole story…Sesshoumaru." The hanyou panted out in between his slowing breaths of air. He knew that he would die sooner or later, be it by his own brother's hands or someone else's. He had fucked up in the worst possible way this time, and no amount of apologizing was going to save him; but he wanted Sesshoumaru to at least know that Kagome was still innocent.

Sensing no air of deceit, Sesshoumaru eased the grip on Inuyasha's neck enough to allow him to breathe properly. The Great Lord knew that the hanyou was still alive for a reason. He had been witness to how protective the other members of their rag-tag group were when it came to the little miko from the future and he was sure that if the hanyou had not yet been slain by one of them, that he should remain alive. He was also curious as to what exactly had transpired, for he could tell that the miko's scent, while scared, was still untainted; and someone had done a rather nice job of restraining the hanyou with plant life.

"Speak half-breed, if you have something to say. You are wasting my time otherwise and my patience grows thin." He said, slipping once again into his stoic mask and overly bored tone. Inside, however, the Taiyoukai was simply itching to see the miko and make sure that she was alright. While she was a human, Kagome was possessed of more heart and strength than he had ever known. He only felt it right to assure her safety since it was his 'brother' that had so wronged her.

Glaring daggers at the bored look on Sesshoumaru's face, Inuyasha swallowed the words that were bound to bring about his death. "Someone stopped me…before I took her completely. She is still innocent. She has friends here from her time and I assume they are all at the village."

"You had better pray that she lives, hanyou. I doubt that any human, and very few youkai, could survive a loss of blood like this. If I get to that village to learn of her demise, I _will_ be back to take your life in exchange for hers." Sesshoumaru said in a dangerous voice, flexing his claws and releasing a small amount of poison.

"Stand in line you arrogant dog. As it stands now, I can think of at least seven others who would love to tear me apart. You are all welcome to it too." Inuyasha spat with no real anger in his voice…only pain and sorrow. It hurt to know what he had done and he wasn't sure he could live with it, even if Kagome vouched for his life.


	15. Chapter 15

Upon yet another heart warming reunion between mother and son, healthy conversation bloomed amongst friends, new and old around the campfire outside Lady Kaede's hut. The more terrible matters at hand seemed to fade towards the back of everyone's minds for the time being.

The ongoing chatter was broken, however when Kaede stepped out of her hut. "It is nearing night fall and none of us have eaten as of yet. Would any of you care to go hunt? We are going to need quite a bit to feed this group." The old miko finished with a gentle smile on her face. It was good to see them all talking so easily and she knew that this group could help Kagome heal.

At the prospect of a good hunt in a realm he was familiar with, Youko stood to address the group. He had taken over control in place of Kurama less than an hour ago for a good many reasons; the least of which being that here, he could be out and no one would have to worry about it. He wasn't allowed to take over control of their body very often in the Ningenkai for obvious reasons and he would be damned if wasn't going to do it here. Kurama agreed readily, knowing that if any more trouble were to occur, Youko would be more helpful in this era.

"I would love to go for a good hunt. It has been awhile since I have had freedom such as this." The silver kitsune replied in his smooth voice, standing up to his full height and stretching.

Kaede nodded her approval as Miroku and Sango stood. "I'm going to go further into the village and see if I can find a kimono for Kagome. I know she is itching to take a bath." Sango said with a smile to her friend as Kirara hopped onto her shoulder. Miroku smiled with a lecherous glint crossing his violet eyes, "I am going to go and fetch some water and additional firewood." He paused to regard Yusuke and Kuwabara, "Would you two care to come with me? Maybe we can stop in the village and get a drink while I show you around?"

The two detectives turned their attention to the monk and stood, "Sounds like a plan to me. That will give us something to do for the time being and I would really like to know more about this place if I will be staying here for awhile." Yusuke responded, Kuwabara nodding his head in agreement.

The four then left camp to attend to their errands, leaving Hiei, Kagome, Youko and Shippou. The young kit had gone into Kaede's hut to fish out some colors and paper, intent upon drawing pictures of the new additions to the group.

Kagome was regarding Youko carefully. When he had emerged not so long ago, she had initially been extremely uncomfortable. Although Youko had been nothing but kind and done so much to help her body to heal, his silver hair, golden eyes and ears were rather jolting. The miko knew in her heart that Youko was nothing like Inuyasha, but those similarities had almost been her undoing.

On the verge of a mild panic attack, she had felt Hiei's arms tighten around her form as she sat nestled between his legs on the forest floor. At his reassurance, Kagome mentally shook herself from her shock to think about what she was feeling.

Looking over Youko's form, she realized that although there were similarities, even those were vastly different. Youko's hair was more silver and silky looking, his eyes a more brilliant gold and his ears were far cuter. Kagome chuckled to herself at that thought. Youko also had a tail and was far more the gentleman than Inuyasha could ever hope to be. He had a godlike presence that reminded her of Lord Sesshoumaru and he held that mischievous twinkle in his eyes like Shippou did.

The silver kitsune had been all too aware of Kagome's eyes wandering his form. He could feel those brilliant blue eyes burning holes into his skin as though they were searching for something and he felt his body burning to react. He had pushed back his desire for the beautiful creature with a barely stifled groan, knowing that showing such an intention towards her coupled with his features could very well throw her over the edge.

So, he had resumed his seat upon the log barely five feet from Kagome. He knew she needed this. She needed to see him, to really _see_ him and he would let her look until she was satisfied. Hearing her almost silent chuckle, he lifted his head to lock his golden eyes onto her blue ones and smiled a small smile. Youko knew that Hiei had strong feeling towards the girl, but he was developing some of his own and he wasn't ready to just give up on her. It was more than obvious that he would have an even harder time getting close to her now but he wasn't that easily deterred. However, his current train of thought was suddenly derailed when he felt a soft warmth press against his arm.

Kagome had been staring at him for quite some time before Youko had actually acknowledged her with a smile. In that smile, she knew that he was waiting for her to make a move. The miko had been contemplating on whether or not she would be able to be around him and had been saddened by the prospect that she might not be. When they had originally met in her own time, Kagome had felt a pull towards him as well as Hiei. Though the feeling wasn't quite as strong, it was still there and she didn't want to forget it. That would be just one more thing that stupid dog would ruin for her.

Seeing his friendly gesture, Kagome instantly made up her mind. She was not going to be afraid of him for something that he didn't do. He had been her savior too and didn't deserve a shunning. Loosening the hold Hiei had on her, which resulted in a low growl, Kagome stood and walked to the kitsune. A smirk crossed her face when she realized he didn't know she was standing so close and she gently placed her hand on his arm.

"Ummm…Youko? I was wondering, do you have a true form that you can turn into, even though you share a body with Kurama?" The young miko asked, a slight blush staining her cheeks.

Youko smirked with amusement flashing across his eyes at her blush, "Yes I do. Why do you ask?"

Kagome chewed nervously on her lower lip. She figured he did, being a full youkai and all, and was just dying to see it. "Well, I was just curious. I have only seen one youkai in their true form and that was Lord Sesshoumaru. He turns into a magnificent silver dog and he is enormous. I had wondered…what you would look like." She finished softly, her blush deepening and spreading down her neck.

"Lord Sesshoumaru? You have seen his true form, eh?" Now Youko was really curious about Kagome. 'How could this human girl have seen the Western Lord in such a form and still have her head?' He knew of Lord Sesshoumaru from his earlier years as a thief and had only seen him transform once. "Well, I am not nearly that big, being a fox as opposed to a dog, but I am big enough to take up quite a bit of room. Can your kit not transform?" Youko was wondering just where she was going with this line of questioning.

Kagome smiled a soft, sad smile at the mention of Shippou. "No, he can't. At least, he doesn't know how if he can. His parents were killed by the Thunder Brothers and since I am neither youkai nor kitsune, I can't teach him anything he needs to know." She sighed, "Could I maybe see you? As a fox?"

Lord Sesshoumaru wasted no time in tearing through the forest to reach his destination. Despite the fact that he was a little relieved to know that Kagome had retained her innocence, he was more than aware that there was a very slim chance she would have survived to be able to give such a treasure to one who deserved it.

He was going through all the encounters he had ever had with the young woman and realized that he was somewhat…saddened by the thought of her premature death. She had been one of very few to ever stand up against him and she was a ningen! An onna no less! His mind wandered back to the very first time he had met Kagome-the woman/child- and let a small smile grace his features. The girl had only been fifteen at the time, he later learned, and she had impressed him even then. Not that he would ever tell anyone that.

It had been in his father's tomb of all places, when that tiny miko had not only thought to have Inuyasha pull the Tetsusaiga in an effort to harm the Demon Lord's pride but had eventually ended up removing it herself. That had been the first clue that Sesshoumaru would have to keep an eye on the girl. Ever since that day, Kagome had stood against him at every turn and done so without fear for herself. He could have slain her time and again but had left her alone out of sheer curiosity.

While the Taiyoukai was making a trip down memory lane recalling all the things about Kagome that intrigued him, he hadn't realized that his legs seemed to have taken up speed. He was shaken from his own internal musings when he realized that he had already come upon the village the Shard Hunters called home.

Sesshoumaru lifted a leg, ready to take his first step towards the village to discover the fate of the young miko when he faltered. There were scents on the wind that he didn't recognize at all and a few of them were mingled with the one scent he was hoping to find: Kagome.

He took in a deep breathe filtering out all other scents and focused strictly on the one that could only be Kagome. As the gentle smell of lavender and vanilla wafted through the Great Inu's nose, he let lose a sigh of relief to find it without ailments.

Kagome was alive.

A single, delicate silver brow arched in silent question and unspoken curiosity at the dark stain of pink currently coloring the young miko's cheeks. All she had done was ask to see his true form…why was that simple request eliciting such a response when she hadn't even been answered yet?

'Youko, what happened? What did you do? Why in Kami's name is she embarrassed?'

'_I wish I knew; I would do it more often. She looks lovely wearing that shade of pink.'_

Kurama groaned with displeasure at the antics of the kitsune, 'Don't forget Youko. We can't move too fast with her. Besides, Hiei looks ready to rend you limb from limb.'

'_As if I have anything to fear from that emotionally constipated hybrid. He might be your partner Red, but this is going to come down to youkai law soon. He wants her and I want her. Eventually, either he will have to be willing to share or fight for her.'_ Youko snorted elegantly to his human counterpart. Kagome was just too good a puzzle to be left unsolved.

Youko turned his attention from the voice in his head to the young woman standing before him once more. Her cheeks were still tinted pink and she had her head down, focusing intently on her fidgeting hands. She looked so positively cute like that and he hated to ruin the moment he was having, but she had asked him a question and it would be rude not to answer.

The kitsune cleared his throat to get her attention and as soon as Kagome's sapphire eyes met his golden ones, he gave her a broad grin meant to disarm. Obviously it worked for her fidgeting stopped and she regarded him with questioning eyes.

"May I ask why you want to see it so badly? Not that I mind showing off for a beautiful woman, but I am a kitsune and I am afraid my curiosity has gotten the better of me on more than one occasion." Youko said with supreme confidence and a wink. He started preening the second he noticed her blush darken.

'I have had about enough of your antics Fox. Kagome is in no state to be toyed with regardless of how 'playful' you are feeling. Do not make me regret letting her get that close to you.' Hiei stated in a voice assuring death to the over confident kitsune. He saw the flash of disgruntlement cross the Fox's eyes and it made him mentally smirk.

Kagome came out of her slight stupor when she really thought about Youko's words. 'He's baiting me! Why that…that…damn kitsune!' Kagome thought bristling at his actions. She knew he was being playful but he was also avoiding her question. Her first reaction was to reach out and slap that arrogant look from his perfect face but on second thought, she realized that she would have to fight fire with fire.

If this fox wanted to play, it would be on her terms.

The Silver Kitsune was so wrapped up in his own self-congratulatory acts that he nearly missed the positively mischievous look that passed across Kagome's face. Once he re-focused on the no-longer blushing miko, he realized that she was indeed planning something. Knowing this, he could barely contain an anxious grin and his tail took to wagging happily. Had he been any less restrained, or any less dignified, he would have been bouncing on his feet.

This was a good thing. Kagome was being Kagome. She seemed more like that playful girl they had seen on the street that day now, than she had in days.


	16. Chapter 16

Unfortunately for the fox, Hiei hadn't even come close to missing the look that entered Kagome's eyes and although she was content to purely tease the kitsune, Hiei knew the fox wouldn't want to let it go with that. Although he would love to see Youko squirm, and he truly did enjoy it, he wasn't ready to let the situation escalate to that level…yet. He knew just how…_affectionate_ in nature the fox was and knowing Kagome's current emotional status, he put a stop to it before it even began. He decided to use the approaching youkai he had sensed for an discreet topic change.

"Fox now is not the time for your antics. We seem to have company fast approaching."

Hearing the tone of warning that crept through Hiei's voice immediately put Youko and Kagome on guard and before the miko had a chance to say a word, she found herself facing the (rather muscular) back of one silver kitsune.

Youko pulled a rose from his hair, transforming it to his trademark whip while Hiei was already brandishing his katana and moving next to Youko.

Kagome peered between the two demons who had taken up residence in front of her as she felt an enormously powerful, and somewhat familiar, aura crest the hill and stop at the edge of the village. Narrowing her eyes she saw white…pristine white silk and liquid silver strands blowing in the wind and let a sigh of relief pass her lips before a small smile appeared.

Hearing Kagome's sigh and feeling the tension and anxiety melt away from her aura, Youko and Hiei turned to regard her. She had a small smile playing across her lips as she watched the figure approach and stepped out from behind their self-imposed barrier.

Youko, being the ever jealous kitsune, spoke first "Kagome…do you know him? He smells like dog."

'Hn. Sounds as though you are jealous fox.' Hiei said with a smirk deciding to taunt the kitsune while he had the chance.

A soft growl escaped his throat and Youko glared at Hiei _"Why would I, the Great Youko Kurama, be jealous of a dog? Besides, I made her blush."_ At that, the fox stuck his tongue out at the hybrid in a purely childish manner.

Kagome remained oblivious to the goings on behind her as she was focused on the youkai that was now approaching. It had been quite some time since she had last seen The Lord of the West and she found herself grateful to see him now. They weren't friends by any means, because Sesshoumaru didn't really **_have_** friends, but they had developed a sort of camaraderie over the years and she always felt safe around the cold Taiyoukai.

Letting the sweet scent of Kagome linger in his nose a moment longer, Sesshoumaru began the short trek that would take him to the heart of the village. He was inclining his head slightly from side to side, taking in his surroundings, when his golden gaze found the sources of the unknown scents he had caught earlier.

He studied them carefully as he neared the village. Both were youkai and powerful. He recognized the kitsune as one Youko Kurama. Although he had never made the fox's acquaintance, he knew him by reputation alone. There were so few silver kitsune left that it could only be him. 'I thought he was dead. Interesting.'

His gaze next turned to the other, shorter youkai. Sesshoumaru could easily sense the conflict and unbridled rage that was tangled in his aura and although the demon's stature wasn't nearly as impressive as his own, and he looked rather diminutive standing next to the fox, he knew that he wasn't one to anger. Powerful things could come in small packages; Kagome was living proof of that.

And that thought brought him full circle back to the miko he was searching out. She was close he knew, for the nearer the village he got, the stronger her scent became. His delicate nose twitched slightly in the breeze as he tried to determine exactly where she was. It was obvious she was in or around the hut of the old miko and he could smell her on the youkai standing next to said hut…more so on the shorter one than the fox.

Sesshoumaru had just let his gaze fall once more to the newcomers when he saw Kagome peek out from between the two. It seemed she was sizing him up for a moment before she stepped out from behind the protective stances of the two to regard him.

He saw the recognition flash across her face even as a sort of happiness crossed her eyes. As soon as he saw the small smile touch her lips, he himself smiled and continued to close the gap between them at a greater pace.

Sango had finished her errands in the village and, after finding a rather nice kimono for Kagome, had headed straight for the local tavern to round up the other men. Miroku might have made mention that he only had eyes for her, but he was still a lecher and Sango had decided long ago to let him keep his wandering ways for the time being.

None of them were sure how much time the houshi had left and she figured that if spending his remaining time amongst the living groping young females was how he wanted to spend it, she would let him.

The huntress had come to realize that she truly loved Miroku, and believed he loved her, but she knew that neither one of them could, or would, confess their mutual love at such a precarious stage in their lives. Naraku had to be defeated and that was what mattered the most at the moment; that and taking care of Kagome.

Upon entering the tavern, Sango had easily found the three sitting at a table in the corner. They all were wearing rather serious faces and, surprisingly, Miroku didn't have a female on his lap; or even the vicinity. As she approached the table, she heard that they were discussing the very things that had just been on her own mind; Naraku's defeat and Kagome's recovery.

The three turned to regard her and Miroku nodded to a chair next to him. She smiled softly and took a seat.

They had sat there for another hour, leisurely enjoying a drink and discussing the things that were throwing them all together before deciding it was time to head back to Kaede's. They left the tavern and gathered the piles of wood and buckets of water that had been left outside and started back towards the hut of the old miko.

Just before reaching it, Miroku stopped and tensed. Sango, knowing the houshi well enough to recognize that stance, also froze and easily slipped into a battle stance, slipping Hiraikotsu off her back. "What is it Miroku? A demon in the village?"

Miroku nodded his head but remained still, even as he felt Yusuke and Kuwabara follow suit and tense for action. 'I know this aura. It is powerful but, we haven't seen him in over half a year. I wonder if Inuyasha still lives.' "It's Sesshoumaru. He is around Kagome I believe, though I don't sense any malicious intent."

Initially hearing Sesshoumaru's name spoken, Sango was readying herself for a hard battle, but hearing Miroku's words stopped her. She hadn't been blind to the budding 'relationship' between the young miko and the Demon Lord and she somehow knew that he wasn't there to harm her friend. Seeing the monk relax his stance and loosen his grip on his Shakujou, she relaxed and smiled.

"Shit. Are you sure this guy is ok? I mean, his aura feels even more powerful than Youko's. Are you sure Kagome will be alright?" Yusuke said, feeling the strength of this youkai's aura and already growing concerned for the young miko. He could feel Kuwabara still tense beside him and knew he was thinking the same thing.

Miroku let a smile touch his lips as he resumed his walk to the hut, "Of course she will be fine. She and Sesshoumaru have a relationship that we have never really questioned because we have never felt the need to. Kagome may be compassionate and loving almost to a fault, but she isn't stupid. She knows the power he holds and has never feared him. He respects her because of it. And yes, he is powerful and most likely more so than the fox. He is, after all, the Taiyoukai of the Western Lands."

The detectives stood dumbfounded for a minute before they realized they were being left behind. Yusuke, of course, was the first to speak up once again. "He is _the_ Sesshoumaru? Shit! Kagome certainly does make some powerful allies. I didn't know how old he was, but he is definitely known even to us. In our era, he is the ruler of Makai."

Sango and Miroku shared a knowing smile, somehow not surprised in the least by that bit of information. They both knew the power the Demon Lord held and were glad to know that someone with his honor would be the one to rule the demon realm.

Deciding to waste no more time, the four sped up their pace to the hut. They were all curious to see what was transpiring between those left at camp. Yusuke knew that Hiei had become fiercely protective of Kagome and Youko was on his way there as well. The detective could already almost picture the reactions the Taiyoukai was sure to receive from his partners. He smirked 'This should provide for some good entertainment.'

When Sesshoumaru was no more than ten feet away, Kagome couldn't take it anymore and ran straight for him, throwing herself into his arms. It had been far too long since she had seen him and now, here he was in her greatest time of need. She let a small smile cross her face when she felt his own arm wrap around her in a half hug and buried her face in his chest.

It was then that she remembered he still only had one arm and she felt a heavy sort of sorrow and remorse settle on her heart. Not saying a word to the Taiyoukai, she moved one hand down from around his neck and slid it up the empty sleeve of his kimono to come to rest against the stub of his left arm.

Sesshoumaru let a small smile touch the corners of his lips when the miko ran to him but tensed for a fraction of a second when she hugged him. She had done so many times in the past and he had learned to expect it. Now, however, he tensed for reasons other than being uncomfortable; this was one thing that Kagome would not have done if she were truly broken by his brother.

The Demon Lord did tense when he felt her warm, soft hand touch the remains of his arm. The two had discussed this topic on more than one occasion during the times that they had met after dark, and unknown to her friends, simply to talk. He had been curious of the strangely dressed miko and had questions. Finding she had some of her own, they came to an understanding and met several times to discuss their thoughts.

He had told Kagome that his arm would eventually regenerate because he was a youkai. Any other questions on that topic had been quickly rebuffed and she had soon learned it was a very sore spot to him and wasn't to be discussed. Now, feeling her flesh touch the one blemish he had in his pride made his body grow rigid with hidden humiliation. As he opened his mouth to scold the woman for her brash actions against his person, he felt a tingling sense of warmth seep from her hand and spread up his arm and across his chest.

Kagome had focused all her attention on Sesshoumaru. She could faintly hear growls of disapproval at the 'familiar' handling of the Taiyoukai from the over-protective fox and fire demon behind her, but pushed them from her thoughts. 'I owe this to him. I was part of the reason he lost his arm in the first place. It is only right I fix it.' With that as the last thought lingering in her mind, she closed her eyes and focused solely on the power curling deep inside her soul.

She grasped a hold of the soft purple light that was housed in her soul and gently began to pull it apart, separating the blue of purification from the pink of healing. Letting the pink surround her, she brought it forth to her fingers and let it soak into the torn flesh below her hand. In her mind, she pictured his arm reforming; the muscles sliding protectively around bone and soft, pale flesh wrapping the appendage. The final touch was the graceful purple stripes that adorned his wrist and the deadly claws at his fingertips.

Sometime since Kagome had forcibly put herself in the embrace of the Taiyoukai, the four had returned from the village and were now, along with Hiei, Youko, Kaede and Shippou, standing around the two wearing various emotions of awe and shock on their faces. Even the normally indifferent fire apparition was letting his own sense of awe show on his face; as was Sesshoumaru.

Kagome had been so caught up in what she was doing that she was unaware she had an audience. Once her task was finished, she removed her hand from the newly formed arm and made to take a step back and survey her work. However, she had never used her powers in such a way before and was unprepared for the sudden drain on her body. Her steps faltered for a fraction of a second before she was once again wrapped in the embrace of Sesshoumaru.

The initial feeling of power from the miko against his chest had at first been unsettling. She was a priestess and although he was aware they had the ability to heal, they could also purify without a thought. He had never known whether or not a miko could heal a youkai, though he had thought it impossible. Such a feat would require iron control over their powers and seeing as how all mikos, with the exception of Kagome, lived their lives to destroy demons, he was sure that such a thing had never even been approached.

Soon, he felt that the warming sensation wasn't purifying him and before he had time to voice any concerns or questions, he found himself surrounded by the girls' friends. They all watched in wide-eyes fascination as his arm was slowly pieced back together. Even as they stood, he could feel the warmth of his demon blood flowing through his veins. He smirked when Kagome stepped away and noticed that she had even remembered his stripes. It was then that he saw her become unsteady and reached out for her.

A private thank you was what he had been intending on, but as soon as his arms went around Kagome, he lifted her up and crushed her to his chest. She had just given him the one thing that he had longed for without even a thought. She had restored his pride and he thought it only fitting that she get the first embrace he would give with both arms.


	17. Chapter 17

It was now settling into the early evening hours and the Shard Hunters, plus one Inu Taiyoukai, were currently sitting around a blazing fire in front of the elder miko's hut. After the event with Kagome's restoration of Sesshoumaru's arm, the Great Dog had joined the Fox in a hunt for that night's meal, while Kagome and Sango had gone to the hot springs.

Upon slipping out of the ill-fitting miko garb that she had been dressed in, she guessed it was Kaede's, Kagome began walking into the warm mineral water to join her sister in a much needed cleansing. However, hearing a sharp intake of air from said female, Kagome stopped dead in her tracks and regarded her friend with a questioning glance. It was then that she noticed the tears in Sango's eyes…the eyes that seemed trained onto Kagome's own flesh. Following the gaze of the huntress, Kagome too looked down the length of her body and instantly understood her friend's reaction.

No one had seen the damage done to her body save Youko and Kaede who had healed her. In fact, this was the first time Kagome had even seen the expanse of harm to her person, though she wasn't shocked really. She knew what she had been through…she remembered how it felt. She knew too that Sango was only seeing her front and cringed at the reaction she was sure to get once she turned around.

Kagome could feel the deep scars that streaked across the pale flesh of her back strain and pull at her movements. She assumed the odd feeling was because the skin was forced to heal so quickly, due to her own powers and those of Kaede and Youko. That knowledge did little to settle her emotions though. The feeling of those claws -_his_ claws- tearing through the tender skin on her back seemed to be forever fresh in her mind. How many times had she held onto that clawed hand? How many times had those dangerous talons been wrapped around her in a hug of sorts?

Desperately, she wanted to believe he was in a youkai rage. She wanted to think that he didn't know what he was doing and she remembered the way her heart fell when she saw gold still prevalent in his crimson gaze. He had known on some level exactly what was occurring…he knew and he didn't fight it.

The young miko stepped fully into the hot springs and settled down in the warmth, leaning against a nearby rock. _'And to think, he might have carried out his plan too…had it not been for my toying with the Spirit Detectives in my time.'_ She was shaken from her darker memories by the gentle voice of her friend.

"Kagome, will you be okay? I hate to sound selfish, but I –we- need you. Shippou needs you. I know that you have always been one to put others before yourself Kagome, but you deserve to be happy too. We will understand if you can't stay here with us anymore." Sango whispered softly, her voice coming out harsher than she would have liked with the effort to staunch her own sobs. She knew how badly Kagome had been hurt and truly did understand if she couldn't stay…but her heart broke a little at the thought of her leaving them for good.

The priestess could only smile at the down bent head of her friend. "Sango, don't worry. I won't leave you by my choice. When the Shikon is complete however, I don't know what will happen. I have a duty to finish here in this era…and finish it I will. I refuse to let Naraku continue to saunter around as though he has done no wrong. That bastard deserves what will come to him. It was my fault the jewel was broken in the first place; my fault that your village and kin were destroyed; my fault Shippou's parents were killed. Despite what has recently occurred, I will continue on as long as I am able."

Sango could only stare, open-mouthed and wide-eyed, at her friend. The slayer knew the miko was both passionate and compassionate, but had never heard her say something with such vehemence and determination. She realized in that instant how much Kagome had grown over the years. She wasn't the clueless little girl from the future anymore. Kagome was a woman and a very powerful one at that. Her restoration of Sesshoumaru's arm was testament enough.

Sighing heavily at her own doubts of Kagome she spoke softly, "I'm sorry Kagome. I guess if it had been me that had been through such an ordeal, I would have been ready to hide away from the world. I should have known that you would not break as easily. When did you become such a strong woman anyway?" She added the last question to lighten the mood. She could see the dark shadows that had crept across the miko's blue depths and knew it couldn't be good for her so soon.

Watching her friend's reaction warily, Sango immediately relaxed when the shadows left and her blue orbs brightened once more. _'Now,_ Sango thought, _time to find out just what is happening in the love life of our favorite miko.'_

Kagome shifted restlessly against the rock she was leaning on when she noticed the wicked gleam that entered Sango's eyes. She knew those looks…those looks were mischievous and devilish. Sango was planning something.

"Kagome, what is going on with you and all the youkai anyway? It is obvious that there is _something_ between you and Hiei. What about Youko and Sesshoumaru?" Seeing her friends face flush crimson, Sango nearly wanted to dance in triumph.

The young miko first paled and the blushed furiously. She knew what Sango was referring to. She and Hiei were already extremely close for some reason and she had felt a pull of attraction to Kurama as well. As for Sesshoumaru? Well, how could any girl not admire his beauty? Honestly?

Normally, one would out right laugh at the thought of using such a term to describe such a deadly male. That didn't matter though…he was beautiful. He seemed untouchable and held the same godlike quality that Youko did. Kurama and Youko were both gorgeous males and Hiei? Hiei was fire, passion, determination and skill wrapped into a nice little package.

Her blush not lessening, especially in light of her current thoughts, Kagome decided to answer Sango. "Well, nothing is really going on with any of them. Hiei and I seem to be almost connected somehow. Even if I am a human, we have a lot in common. He makes me feel safe. I feel the same sort of pull to Kurama, Youko and Sesshoumaru too, just not to the same extent. It doesn't really matter though. I am just a ningen while they are all incredibly attractive and powerful youkai who could have any demoness they set their eyes on." Forcing down the lump in her throat, she spoke once more, softly "I am not good enough for any of them."

The taijiya's eyes watered slightly before anger replaced the sadness tenfold. It was all that damn dog's fault! He had her broken down and crushed underfoot long before he attempted to rape her. Kagome had given her heart and soul to that ungrateful hanyou and he had torn it asunder. Now, it was obvious to everyone that the aforementioned youkai had _some_ sort of feelings towards the young miko; hell, she had even caught Yusuke looking at her with something akin to longing in his eyes. Yet here Kagome sat, tears building in the corners of her eyes, oblivious to her chances at love because of the first one she gave her heart to.

While Sango was busy entertaining thoughts of redemption towards the inu hanyou, Kagome was busily washing the long length of her blue-black hair. Once done, she scrubbed vigorously at her body until her skin turned pink. Finally, she felt clean. Wringing the water from her hair she stood from the springs and grabbed a towel to wrap around the strands. Turning fully to step out of the warming water, she heard the gasp she knew would be coming.

"Kami Kagome," Sango started in a soft, nearly strangled voice, "how did you even live through that?"

Tilting her head to the side to regard her friend, she answered "I don't really know Sango. I guess it just wasn't my time to die."

That said, she continued out of the springs, dried off and dressed in a clean kimono before combing through her hair. Sango soon followed her and they made their way back to their group.

All allies, new and old were milling about the campsite waiting on the two females to return. The Demon Lord and Kitsune Thief had returned with their catches and had them cleaned and sitting over the fire. The almost comfortable passage if silence was shattered when the group heard a violent growl sound out from a nearby tree. All eyes turned to regard the Fire Apparition.

Hiei was positively livid and realized he had not wanted to tear into the hanyou half as bad before as he did now. He had been reclining in a tree near the camp waiting for Kagome to return when the Jagan flared to life and focused intensely on Kagome. He was hoping that the slayer could help coax the miko farther from her mind and, with the Jagan being an eavesdropper, thought she was succeeding. He felt proud of her, hearing the determination overshadow the depression and sorrow that came from the miko.

Then, he had anxiously awaited her answer to the question posed by Sango. He had come across that small place in her mind where he was and was curious as to what she thought they had, if anything. At hearing that she felt something towards the Fox and Taiyoukai as well as him, he growled lowly but stopped himself from getting angered. At least she wasn't thinking of the half-breed. He knew youkai shared mates on occasion and didn't necessarily mind the arrangement, should she choose it. But they had to fight him first.

He had calmed considerably at this thought only to have him in an uproar, literally, when he heard the phrases that fell from her lips next. She still thought she was worthless, despite all she had been through and lived through.

That was when the growl burst from his chest and startled the daylights out of the ones below him. Now they were all looking at him expecting an explanation. Hiei wasn't a conversationalist, but he knew that her friends needed to know that she was more damaged than she appeared.

Sighing heavily, he leapt from his perch on the tree to land gracefully on the ground. Taking a seat on a nearby log next to the Fox, Hiei recounted what he had just 'heard' from Kagome and was met with much the same reaction as he himself had: pure, unbridled anger. They all knew though, that the dog's fate lay within her hands.

As if thoughts could summon her, Kagome and Sango stepped free of the trees and walked back to the campfire.

Kagome knew as soon as she set foot outside the trees that something had transpired. Every single being in their camp was rigid and seemed to be seething. Curious as to what could have brought on such a thing, Kagome walked briskly into the group and settled herself down on the ground between Hiei and Youko.

"What's going on guys? Why is everyone so tense?" The young miko asked, obviously oblivious to the dark thoughts of inexplicable torture that was passing through the minds of her companions. Not gaining an answer to her question, Kagome formed a solid wave of calm in her soul and released it, efficiently surrounding them all.

Sesshoumaru was the first to completely calm his beast and turned his regal head towards her. "It has come to our attention that you are not as well as you pretend to be, Kagome. Why would you still consider yourself so worthless after surviving what should have killed you?"

Confusion at the Dog Lords' statement settled in her eyes briefly before she turned her head upwards towards Hiei. "What did you hear?" She said in a soft, nearly inaudible voice. She was praying to Kami he hadn't heard everything, though she was sure he had. However, she knew Hiei wouldn't impart such personal things, such as her feelings on certain youkai, to the group and relaxed slightly.

Locking his crimson gaze with her blue one, Hiei spoke softly, so as only the other youkai could hear "Only that you still believe yourself to be unworthy of us. Do you honestly believe that we would voluntarily stay here with you if we thought so?"

Tears filled her eyes at his softly spoken words. "I truly don't know Hiei…not anymore. A few years ago, if I had known you and you had said such a thing, I would have believed you without question. But after years of hearing how worthless and pathetic you are, you believe it."

Scenting the salt in the air and hearing her broken confession, Youko decided it was his turn on the soapbox. "Kagome," he called quietly and waited until she turned her attention to him, "you don't deserve to hurt this way…not over him. He was ungrateful and selfish. He had the most precious of treasures in you, and he threw it away. Please, let someone else cherish you."


	18. Chapter 18

The night had been a long and trying one. After everyone had eaten their fill and what was left had been stored away, the expanded group had begun settling in for sleep. Sango and Miroku had curled up alongside one another in a corner of Kaede's hut with Kirara close by, her twin tails fanned across her nose, and Shippou was snuggled into her soft fur. Yusuke and Kuwabara were in the opposite corner, both in nearly impossible sleeping positions and snoring. Hiei and Youko were out amidst the forest, scouting the surrounding land while Lord Sesshoumaru was sitting against a tree not far from the old miko's hut. He appeared to be sleeping, though his senses were trained on the miko in the hut who was tossing fitfully in her sleep.

Kagome had been distraught to know that the façade of being almost normal again hadn't been nearly as effective as she had hoped it would be. Hiei had been able to pick up on her thoughts and had relayed them to her friends. While she should have been furious at such an invasion on her privacy, she no longer had the energy to care. She was far too worn and wrung out to even think of scolding him; besides, it wasn't as if he truly deserved it anyway. She had spent a good portion of the subsequent hour trying to convince her youkai companions that she was better than they thought; only, it hadn't worked. They had easily seen through her deception and had taken it upon themselves to stay around her as a guard detail.

Not even two hours earlier, she had fallen sound asleep, her body and mind too exhausted to stay in the world of the living any longer. For the past hour, she had begun dreaming and for three-quarters of the time, she had only been mumbling incoherently and slightly shifting her weight. Now though, now her heart beat had quickened, hammering madly against her ribcage; her breathing had become harsh and labored; small whimpers and moans of pain sounded from her fragile throat and the scent of absolute terror and tears rushed towards the lounging Taiyoukai.

In one fluid and graceful movement, Sesshoumaru propelled himself from the ground and made his way towards Kagome. Easily pushing aside the mat that hung in the doorway, the Demon Lord stepped inside the hut and quietly walked towards the sleeping miko. Once there, he knelt down to her side and gingerly touched her forehead. Sweat beaded across her brow and she whimpered again before brokenly speaking a name: Inuyasha.

For a fraction of a second, The Lord of the Western Lands was outraged. How could she be dreaming of him after what he had done? Would she spare his life? He hoped not. He didn't deserve to live after the crime he had committed. Another whimper and the scent of tears startled him from his thoughts and Sesshoumaru looked down to see rivers of tears staining Kagome's porcelain cheeks. Even in her sleep she looked so broken and lost and it snapped him back to reality quickly.

She was reliving her own personal hell.

As if experiencing it once wasn't enough torment.

Without a thought to anything else, Sesshoumaru lifted Kagome easily from her sleeping place and turned towards the door, cradling her in his embrace. His tail came up to wrap around her body and she stilled; the scent of insane terror and unending sadness dulled and soon faded. Kagome sighed and snuggled further into the Demon Lords chest.

He stood still for a moment, astonished at how well his touch had calmed her. An odd warm feeling spread through his chest at the thought of her trusting him enough to find comfort in his embrace. His arms tightened around her a fraction – thankful more than ever that he had two with which to hold her – and left the hut.

No hesitation was present in his step as he strode purposefully back to the tree he had deigned his own and moved like liquid to sit upon the ground. Leaning his strong back against the comforting trunk of the aged tree, Sesshoumaru maneuvered Kagome until she was sitting across his lap with her cheek pressed against his and her head tucked under his chin.

His arms constricted around her for a fraction of a second in silent comfort before she sighed softly and melted into him; at which point, he felt gentle warmth blossom from his chest and caress the length of his tall frame in a smooth wave. The Demon Lord wasn't sure what exactly he felt for the tiny miko but he _did_ know that she made him feel calm and she stirred and poked at his heart in the most endearing of ways.

She felt like…home.

Certainly, his great and terrible father was laughing it up in the afterlife, toasting to his friends with warm sake. Of course, Sesshoumaru could deny it all vehemently. It wasn't as if he _loved_ Kagome or anything…not yet. _Don't. Think. That._ But she was unbelievably kind and soft hearted and she made him _feel_ and she loved his ward and she was just so _different_ from anyone he had ever met.

A hopeless sigh escaped his chiseled lips when his mind drifted to a certain hybrid and one particular kitsune. Oh yes, he knew their intentions for the miko and while he had briefly entertained many such notions, he wasn't too sure he could act on them. Even had he wanted to. But part of him _did_ want to; some small piece of himself wanted to be childish and tell the both of them to forget their intentions with the miko because he had met her first. Had just _caring_ for the insufferably defiant and beautifully stubborn woman made him so petulant?

He sighed again and – quite unexpectedly – got the shock of his life. A soft, tiny little hand fisted in the front of his haori and tugged him closer – if that was possible – to an equally soft and tiny body. Once she apparently had him settled where she wanted him, her grip loosened and said appendage inched upward towards his face, only to stop near his cheek and perfectly trace the maroon stripes there in a feather light touch.

Was she awake? He closed his eyes and tried to breathe through the sudden dizzy spell that had enveloped his brain the moment she touched him in an attempt to define her state of awareness. She. Was. Still. Asleep. _Huh._ That was…new. Briefly, he thought her more graceful in her sleep than during waking hours.

Kagome shifted her weight against him and his amusement abruptly stopped when he caught the soft murmuring of her voice. "Sssh…it's okay…Sesshou-kun. Everything…will be…fine."

He wanted to shake her awake then; ask her how she knew he was upset about anything but he knew he couldn't. She had hardly gotten any sleep at all due to her nightmares and if she could rest peacefully in his arms, then he would not disturb her. A clawed hand reached up and brushed a dark lock of hair from her face and a smile threatened to curl on his lips when she nuzzled against his hand. Kami but she made it hard for him to not want her!

All thoughts of the tiny miko were suddenly derailed when a voice shook him from his quiet reverie.

"Why is Kagome not sleeping in the hut where I left her?" Hiei questioned the Taiyoukai. He and Youko had just returned to the old miko's hut to check on Kagome after their scouting, only to find her gone. After a momentary bout of panic, they followed her scent outside only to find her snuggled up and sound asleep in the arms of Lord Sesshoumaru. While Hiei fully trusted the Demon Lord with Kagome, for a reason unknown to him, it irked him to see her so content in a place that wasn't with him.

It also didn't help that he was faced with the possible necessity of having to share her with Youko and the fact that it was obvious Sesshoumaru cared for her. The attentions of the two male youkai sent his protective – and possessive – instincts into overdrive and he found himself curling his hands into fists at his sides to avoid lashing out and stealing the young miko away from the inu.

Sesshoumaru lifted a delicate eyebrow while stating coolly, "She was having nightmares while you two were absent. I felt it best to assure her comfort. She is content here."

Youko stepped up next to his partner and looked down at the woman that was slowly winning his heart wrapped in the arms of the inu youkai. The scene had much the same effect on him as it did on Hiei; however he was also a little relieved. To see Kagome so content in the arms of the demon who was the half-brother of the one who had so wronged her lightened the worry he held in his heart of whether or not she could ever look at him and not see Inuyasha. All three had silver hair and golden eyes but Youko fancied himself closely similar to the Taiyoukai and not even remotely alike to the hanyou.

Catching the golden gaze of the Demon Lord, Youko spoke in soft tones. "I believe we will be staying in your tree tonight if you don't mind. Three of us to watch over her doesn't seem like too much as far as I am concerned." At the slight nod of the demon's regal head, Youko leaped up into the branches and settled himself down.

Hiei however wasn't quite done yet. Fixing a hard glare on the Taiyoukai, he said "Do not think that just because she is spending one night in your arms means that you have rights to her." That said, he joined the kitsune in the boughs of the tree to await the morning.

Kagome awoke to feeling incredibly warm and she nuzzled her cheek against the soft fur her head rested upon. _Wait…fur?_ Cracking her eyes open slightly, she realized it was the early hours of the morning, the sun was just creeping over the edge of the horizon, bathing the entire area in soft hues of purple and blue. Turning her eyes back to what was previously defined as fur, her blue orbs widened at seeing a peacefully sleeping Sesshoumaru cradling her against his chest. She had been sleeping on his tail!

Shifting her weight in an attempt to extricate herself from his embrace, Kagome felt his arms tighten around her and a soft growl issue forth from his throat. Quirking an eyebrow at the dog demon's odd behavior, Kagome settled back down and lifted her hands to his tail. Seeing that he still appeared to be sleeping, she decided to take advantage of the situation and was soon running her fingers through the silky depths of the furry appendage.

While Kagome was completely lost in combing through his tail with her fingers, Sesshoumaru was wide awake, losing himself in the comfort such a simple action brought. Aside from being relaxing, the motion had the rather odd side effect of sending tingling jolts of pleasure straight up his spine. He didn't really know whether to purr in contentment or growl in pleasure so he settled for simply sitting there and enjoying the miko's attentions.

The peaceful state he had found himself in was not meant to last however for soon he heard the quiet rustle of leaves and heard the 'thump' of two sets of feet landing next to him. The ruckus caused Kagome to jump in his lap and her fingers tangled into the fur of his tail.

Kagome looked up from her self-appointed job of finger-combing the silky fur of Sesshoumaru's tail to see two sets of burning gold eyes and one pair of searing red focused solely on her. Blushing to the roots of her raven tresses at being caught playing with the Taiyoukai's tail, she scrambled from his lap to stand. Noticing that the various jewel-colored orbs had only continued their quiet scrutiny of her, Kagome looked at each in turn before looking at herself, assuming she had horrible bed-head.

Upon her self-inspection, Kagome easily identified the reason for stares she was receiving when she looked at what she was wearing. How could she have forgotten that she was sleeping in nothing more than her favorite pair of cotton panties – which just so happened to be black – and an over-sized t-shirt? Stormy blue eyes widened in horror and a small squeak escaped her rosy lips before she turned tail and hurried back to the hut as fast as possible, leaving a trio of amused – and aroused – demons in her wake.

After waking Sango and Shippou, Kagome took her best friend and kit along with her for a bath while Miroku, Yusuke and Kuwabara slept. Once they were all refreshed and clothed, the three found themselves back in camp. Sango went to polish her Hiraikotsu, Shippou promptly ran off to play with the village children and Kagome started on breakfast. Soon, the rest of the camp was awake and everyone met around the fire to eat.

Kuwabara had volunteered to go to the nearby water source to clean everything that was used for breakfast and no sooner had he returned than a short, green imp burst into the campsite squawking for his 'Sesshoumaru-sama'. Said Taiyoukai glared at his retainer before biting out an ice-filled, "Jaken. Why are you here and where is Rin?"

"Me Lord!" The retainer squawked as he bowed low, his forehead resting against the ground several feet from his master. Springing from his prostrate position, he grinned widely and pulled what looked like a katana from the folds of his brown robes. "Me Lord! Look what I have! I have found the Tetsusaiga and it is all yours!"

A collective gasp left the accumulated group of companions at his proclamation and Kagome's eyes widened. If Jaken had Tetsusaiga…did that mean Inuyasha was dead?

"Jaken. Where is Rin?" The Taiyoukai growled, not even concerned with the damnable fang. The fact was that he had long ago quit of his obsession with the blade after finding out how vital it was to his half-brother's sanity.

The toad turned from green to sheet white in the span of a breath. "I-I left her…at t-the clearing we w-were camped at."

A horror-filled gasp left Kagome's throat when she eyed the path Jaken had taken to arrive at the village. "Rin." The single word left her mouth in a whisper before she was darting across the clearing and plunging into the forest. Vaguely, the miko was aware of the pounding footsteps behind her and the rustle of leaves above her that signified Hiei darting through the treetops.

She slid to a stop at the edge of the clearing that still held dried puddles of her blood and she shivered before an ear-piercing scream rent the air. Behind her, the rest of her companions stopped; only Sesshoumaru coming to stand directly next to her, though she could feel Youko and Hiei at her back. Never taking her eyes from the scene in front of her, Kagome reached her hand sideways to grasp tightly to the Taiyoukai's hand, a torn whisper of his ward's name leaving his lips.

"Hanyou." He growled as his eyes flashed red with the unwavering emotion of rage. "You **will** take your hands off of her, lest I remove you of their burden." He flexed and cracked his fingers, the pale green glow of his Dokkasou readily forming at his claws.

Inuyasha growled low in his throat as he took a sidelong glance at who had spoken, the hand wrapped around the child's throat still gripping her tightly and keeping her pinned against a tree. A snarl left his throat at the sight of so many people gathered around him and the jagged purple stripes on his cheeks became even more ragged.

Rin had followed after Jaken when he mentioned finding their Lord. He had been missing for over a day and she was anxious to see Kagome. Jaken had taken off running and she had followed until they entered a clearing where Inuyasha still hung from a tree. Jaken had crossed to him quickly and taken his sword from his side before dashing off again. Rin had walked cautiously around the edge of the meadow, uneasy with the fact that one of Kagome's friends was restrained in such a way. She had almost made it out of the area when a dangerous growl sounded behind her and shook fear straight into her bones.

Now, she hung limply from the hanyou-turned-demon's grasp, small pinpricks marring the smooth skin of her neck and her beautiful brown eyes watered down with tears. She didn't understand why someone she had thought to be her friend would hurt her and Rin was delighted and oh-so hopeful to see Lord Sesshoumaru and Kagome.

The young miko quickly looked around and noticed that there was a large amount of underbrush and shrubbery directly behind her one-time friend and a plan formed in her mind. She knew that if she suddenly turned and walked away, none of her friends would think it odd. They would just assume that being face to face with the one who had so harmed her again was too much for her to handle.

All that coming to fruition in her mind, Kagome took several small, slow steps backwards, moving between Youko and Hiei until she was at the back of the group. Seeing their attention still focused on the hanyou and the child, Kagome began inching her way in painstaking slowness around the clearing. Soon, she was exactly at the copse of bushes she had pinpointed earlier.

Now, she was terrified. While it had been easy enough to accept Youko because he was so very different from Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru because they had been friends for quite some time, being so close to the hanyou that once held her heart only to nearly destroy her, was almost more than she could bear. But…Rin. Now, the half-demon had the little girl in a very compromising position and Kagome _knew_ that he could easily kill her before anyone else had a chance to stop him.

Taking in a deep shuddering breath, Kagome closed her eyes and said a silent prayer to whatever Kami was listening before throwing herself from her hiding place to crash against the arm that held her friends' ward. She heard Rin yelp in pain as she was harshly let go and could just barely see her scramble into her father-figure's embrace before she once more felt Inuyasha's clawed hands wrap around her throat.

Before she could blink, she was smashed up against the tree where Rin had previously been held and she whimpered in pain as her head cracked against the sturdy trunk and claws gauged the tender flesh of her neck. Shaking her head to clear away the blotches of black, Kagome took a glance at her friends. Miroku, Sango – with a shaken Rin in her arms -, Yusuke and Kuwabara were staring at her with wide, tear-filled eyes; Youko, Hiei and Sesshoumaru were snarling and growling as their claws lengthened and red bled into their eyes. Shippou wasn't anywhere that she could see.

Gasping against the force that threatened to crush her windpipe, Kagome struggled for breath. "I-I'm…sorry…you guys. I…couldn't…let Rin…die." Tears ran freely in crystalline streams down her cheeks as she accepted her death. The miko knew that she had literally traded places with Rin and although she really didn't want to die yet, she would rather it be her than that sweet little girl.

A growl, dark and promising death, bubbled up from the hybrid's throat as his hand closed tightly around the hilt of his katana. "Hanyou," he spat, his voice laced with venom, "you must have a death wish." Hiei could feel the dragon writhing with unprecedented malice along the skin of his arm and the wards that wrapped his arm burned and smoked under the assault. The Jagan Eye glowed a violent purple beneath his headband, begging to be released long enough to completely destroy the bastards mind.

The answering growl from Inuyasha was abruptly cut off by an entirely new growl; one that no one recognized. Even the hanyou seemed puzzled and the group of shard hunter's quickly scanned the area, always leaving one eye tuned to their miko friend. The growl sounded out again, louder this time, from the very back of the group. Everyone present turned slowly to look at what was lurking behind them only to encounter the faint image of Shippou being engulfed by silver fog.

All watched the site in puzzled fascination, all except Youko who had a grin curling his chiseled lips. In a bright flash of light, the fog dissipated and a surge of raw youki flowed outward from where the kit once stood, lapping at the edges of the group's senses. When the smoke finally cleared away to nothing, a kitsune looking much the same as Youko was revealed. The tiny paws had turned to feet; his elvish ears had transformed and how stood proudly atop his head; his auburn hair had lengthened and turned a deep red and the cream colored fluff that was his tail was now the same color as his hair, swishing angrily behind him in its length.

Emerald green eyes hardened and cooled as his claws lengthened and the new Shippou snarled and snapped at the hanyou who held the most precious thing in the world to him. Taking long, angry strides, the kitsune was soon standing no more than ten feet from the hanyou and his mother. Apparently Inuyasha had been too surprised, even in his demon form, at the abrupt change of the little runt to realize how close he had gotten.

"Give. Her. Back." Shippou growled, his jaws grinding together as he heard Kagome whimper when the hanyou's claws dug further into her abused flesh.

The fox smirked, the action snide and deadly while whispering with quiet menace, "I warned you."

With moves to fast to really comprehend Shippou flew at Inuyasha, his claws raised in an attack, before changing his direction at the last second. Catching the dog by surprise, Shippou wrapped his arms tightly around Kagome's waist and wrenched her free from his shock-slackened grip only to bring her directly to Hiei. Unloading his precious burden into the fire apparition's arms, he spoke quietly "Get her back to the village. The bastard is mine."


	19. Chapter 19

Though he really hadn't needed to be told, Hiei nodded to the young fox and tightened his arms around Kagome before taking off back towards the village. He heard the dangerous growl of the kitsune and it was soon followed by snaps of jaws and wicked snarls. Kagome fisted her hands in his shirt and pressed her face to his neck, hot tears slowly running down his skin. The fire youkai wasn't quite sure whether to say anything or not to the miko. It had shocked him that she would so willingly put herself under the hanyou's claws once more but knowing that she did it for the little girl made sense to him somehow.

Kagome had a huge heart.

As he walked quickly and steadily back the way he had come, Hiei came to the conclusion that maybe the tiny miko in his arms would fare better in their own time. He wasn't sure he could take her to her own house for surely her family would question her and Hiei knew she couldn't handle that at the moment. As he neared the village, he decided he would indeed take her back to their era.

'**Fox, I am taking Kagome back to our time.' **

There was a pregnant pause in which Hiei wondered if Kurama had even heard him. It usually didn't take longer than a few seconds for an answer and he wondered at how bad the battle he had left behind was.

'_Back to her house? Are you sure that is wise Hiei?'_

Shifting Kagome in his arms slightly as he neared the village, Hiei responded **'Not her house. I am taking her to the apartment.'**

Kurama had moved into his own apartment quite a few years ago and since it was a two bedroom, he had offered the second to Hiei. Of course, he never stayed there much, as he preferred staying outside or in the Makai, but right now the fire demon was glad the invitation was an open one. Kagome needed to be somewhere neutral and away from everything.

He couldn't help the sudden clenching of his lungs or the little flip his stomach did at the thought of finally being alone with her.

'_Good choice. I believe I will remain here for a time. Shippou, I think, will be in need of me and I have the utmost faith that you can handle Kagome.'_

That said, their link was closed and Hiei was at the clearing of the Bone Eater's well. He noticed that the miko's breathing deepened and her pulse had slowed and he smiled a small smile at her. She was fast asleep and clinging to his clothing as if he would vanish should she let go. Tucking her tighter against his body, he leapt up and over the edge of the well and let the magic of the time slip wash over him for the first time.

It felt like falling and floating all at the same time. Not a horrid experience but definitely one that left his organs feeling slightly out of place. By the time his feet touched ground in their era, he had gotten himself back on track and instantly leapt out of the well. Walking on silent feet, Hiei made it to the door and slowly slid it open. It was nighttime in the modern age which was indeed a blessing. It would look rather peculiar for the two of them to be leaving an old well house in broad daylight.

Taking a quick glance at the house to assure everyone was asleep Hiei took off into the night, moving as quickly as he could to the apartment he shared with the fox.

Just a few moments later found Hiei inside both the house and his room with a still slumbering miko in his arms. Not bothering to turn down the covers just yet, the hybrid laid the modern priestess down softly and stared at the blood on her throat for an angry moment before he turned and left the room. Not even a full minute had passed and Hiei was back at Kagome's side with a bowl full of warm water and a soft cloth. Setting both items upon a rather barren looking side table, the koorime bent over slightly to tug gently at the collar of her kimono.

The now-stiff silk parted easily, falling open down to the tops of her breasts. Dipping the cloth into the water and squeezing out the excess, Hiei started the task of cleaning away the blood. There was more of the substance then he wanted to see - knowing that it was her blood and that she had been hurt once again – and he growled low in the back of his throat. Thankfully, it had just started drying on her skin so it wiped away easily enough and soon he had her neck clean, leaving only the wounds left.

Crimson eyes flashed in rage at seeing the angry gashes around her delicate neck. They were just shy of being deep enough to knick an artery or tear at her windpipe and the fire demon sent an uncharacteristic thank you to any deity listening. As he gently wiped at the long tears, the scent of fresh blood began to fade and the power of her miko energy working to heal her tingled against his fingers when they brushed against her skin. It wasn't necessarily an unpleasant feeling though and just the thought of feeling those sparking sensations over every ounce of his flesh sent goose bumps down his arms.

Fighting the urge to smack himself for even thinking of such a thing – after all, he certainly wasn't the hentai that the fox and monk were – when she was hurt and probably scared again, Hiei settled for scowling at the bloodied kimono. The smell of dried blood and unstable mutt were getting to him but he was loath to wake Kagome so she could shower. She looked peaceful where she lay and he knew she needed sleep. She hadn't been getting nearly enough as of late. He slid his hand into hers and rubbed his thumb across the back of her hand, continuing to glare daggers at the soiled silk.

Kagome was slowly joining the waking world and the first thing she felt was someone holding her hand. The last thing she could really remember was being under Inuyasha's claws – again – and she wasn't sure where she was. She felt warm and was laying on something soft but she was still confused. Opening her eyes gradually, the blue orbs focused on Hiei. He didn't look at her or even seem aware that she was no longer asleep. In fact, he seemed to be glaring intently at…her kimono?

"What did my clothing do to earn such an unpleasant reaction?" She said softly, arching a delicate eyebrow at the stewing fire apparition.

Though his head never moved, his ruby eyes snapped to hers, "It is bloody."

Following his line of sight, Kagome realized it really was pretty dirty. Had she really bled so much? She couldn't really remember. All she knew was that she had taken Rin's place against the tree and under those claws; then she felt warm and safe and then she had awoken in a place she didn't know. She had already surmised that they had returned to their time but she still didn't know where. It wasn't her house that was for sure.

Locking her blue eyes with his red ones she asked, "Where are we? I know we are back in the future…but where?"

A smirk crinkled his lips for a second before he answered, "An apartment I share at times with the fox."

Nodding her head to show she understood, Kagome sat up and looked down, regarding her blood soaked clothing. A frown creased her brow the longer she started at the red stained fabric and she jumped when she felt the mattress shift. Lifting her eyes, she noticed Hiei standing right next to her. Sliding her legs from the bed, she stood somewhat shakily and looked at him.

Biting her lip and dropping her eyes to the floor, Kagome wondered if he would mind her taking a shower. Even though he had apparently done a well enough job cleaning her skin, she still wanted to wash off. She didn't have her bag – still – so she had no clean clothes but she was even willing to walk around in a towel until the dirty kimono was clean and dry.

Well, it was worth a shot. "Hiei, would it be okay for me to take a quick shower? I don't care if I have to put this," she gestured towards her kimono, "back on I would just feel better if I showered."

Without a word, Hiei walked from the bedroom and straight across the hallway to the bathroom. Kagome followed meekly, thankful for the shower but still feeling awfully bad. Guilt flooded her senses and tears welled in her eyes. As Hiei left the room and came back in with towels, the miko wrapped him up in a hug and cried softly against his neck.

"I'm so sorry I am so much trouble. I've completely disturbed your lives. If you want, I can talk to Koenma and tell him that you guys don't need to help me. You shouldn't have to help me because it's a mission. Ever since you met me I have been a nuisance."

The diminutive demon was rather confused. Although he could feel the despair and genuine remorse that flowed from her aura, he wasn't sure what had caused it. Wrapping her up in his arms and holding her tightly to his chest, he rested his cheek against her hair. "I would help you if it was a mission or not."

Her breathing hitched at the serious nuances in his quiet but sure voice. Kagome could tell easily just by the timber of his words that he truly believed them and in a way, it forced her too as well. Snuggling further into his embrace, the tiny miko relaxed and sighed with contentment. _This is how it's supposed to be_, she thought vaguely as his arms tightened around her small frame a little more.

She didn't question that statement; didn't _want_ to question it. She was so tired…tired of questioning and worrying and waiting and _dying_ a little more with every passing day. And Hiei was just so warm and she realized how cold she seemed to feel and wondered how long she'd felt that way. It didn't really matter though now. Here, with the fire demon she'd only known a short time, Kagome felt genuinely safe and willingly protected. His presence wrapped around her abused heart and frail nerves and she wanted nothing more than to crawl inside him and live forever there.

Everything that had happened since she had been pulled down the well melted away and Kagome was able to forget. Forget how broken she had become; forget how badly she had been hurt; forget how the first man she had ever loved was now most likely dying at the hands of her adopted son. She had loved Inuyasha and a part of her still loved him – though not romantically – and she hoped he found peace in the afterlife. Hiei was there with her, _now_…when it mattered the most.

Hiei smelled her confusion at his words for a moment before a peaceful calm settled over her. When the taught line of her body relaxed against his, he became painfully aware of how well her soft curves molded to his hard body. Her scent wrapped around his head in dizzying, intoxicating waves and he realized with some form of detached observance that she was the only female to ever cause his blood to heat the way it did around her. Being part fire demon naturally made his body temperature higher than normal; being so close to Kagome made him feel like the blood in his veins had been replaced with lava.

As she inhaled and exhaled softly, her warm breath continuously caressed the hair at the back of his neck and the sensitive flesh of his ear. The heady scent of her arousal assaulted his nose and his pants tightened almost painfully and he knew that if they didn't separate soon, he wouldn't let her out of his arms until they were both out of breath and so satiated they couldn't remember their names.

"Kagome," he spoke against her hair, his voice dipping to a low, husky octave, "You need to take your shower."

The young miko had never thought it possible for one body to create so much heat. It was so easy to feel the heat of his body against hers even through layers of clothing. The thought of actually feeling that searing flesh pressed intimately against hers forced a wave of desire over her and she knew it would be something she would become addicted to.

"Do I really smell so bad?" Was her rather breathy reply, her voice sounding entirely too sexy for the hybrids' willpower. Kami, she smelled far from bad! In fact, her scent alone was slowly driving the fire demon farther and farther from his control.

"No…but if you don't take your shower soon, you'll end up back in that bed and needing a shower even more." Hiei's voice was nearly a growl and he felt Kagome shudder in his arms as her arousal spiked ever higher. He wanted to groan and growl and throw her on the floor or press her against a wall. By the gods, the woman was still a virgin and she had him so wound up he didn't think he could leave her side even with force. He wanted her more than he could ever remember wanting anything but she had been through so much and the last thing he wanted to do was force her to relapse with brash actions.

By now, Kagome's breathing had turned into light pants and she practically wanted to tear her clothes off right where she stood, her body was so hot. Waves of heat seemed to radiate from Hiei and straight into her, making her nerves dance and her pulse race. She wanted him plain and simple. Briefly, her mind caught and held at that thought. Had she retained her innocence so long only to have it taken by a fire demon she had only known for a couple of weeks?

Yes, yes she did.

It was almost a shocking insight, though she truly didn't care anymore. Hiei made her feel safe and wanted and _needed_ and she knew she wanted and needed him. She had been forced to put her feelings and longings on hold for so long waiting on Inuyasha and she had never even felt a fraction as content with him as she did the fire apparition. Even if he decided he didn't want her after this, Kagome thought she could deal with it. She realized that somewhere along the line of things she had fallen for the quiet and reserved youkai and even if he only loved her for one day, he still loved _only her_ for one day.

That was more than could ever have been said of Inuyasha.

"Well…I kind of think I need a better reason for a shower anyway." _Good Kami!_, she thought. Had she really said such a thing? She most certainly had. Where did that brazen side of her come from? _Oh well. It doesn't matter much now. What's been said has been said…all that matters now is the answer._

Of course, seeing as how it was Hiei, she didn't get an answer. At least…not a verbal one. No, instead of wasting his time and energy on words – especially when there were far more pleasurable things to waste both on – he scooped her into his arms and headed straight back for his bedroom. His beast was clawing to get free, wanting nothing more than to take the beautiful creature in his arms and make her his in every way. Hiei knew she would need something far tenderer than his youkai would be able to do so he held tight to his control as he laid her back on his bed.

She was still wearing that damned bloody kimono and the thought of exactly how he was going to remedy that situation brought a smirk to his lips. And speaking of lips…hers looked so soft, so full and they seemed to be begging him to kiss them. The rosy petals were parted just slightly with her breathing and without hesitation he covered her body with his and settled in between her legs.

Hazy, lust-filled sapphire eyes locked with his burning crimson irises and Hiei could plainly read her desire. He had expected to see it there, as her body had already told him it would be, but he hadn't planned on anything else. However, behind the lust and want that swirled in her stormy eyes was love; love for him. Gods but he didn't think it was possible. He never, ever would have thought someone so pure, so precious could ever feel about him the way he could see in her eyes she did.

Hiei had never been big on words so he chose to respond to the emotions in her eyes with actions instead. Closing the distance between them quickly, he pressed his burning lips against hers and the soft groan that escaped her throat as she responded to him forced a lusty haze to cloud his mind. He wanted more. Nibbling softly on her lower lip enticed her to open her mouth with a gentle gasp and he delved inside the sweet cavern. She was sweet and spicy and she tasted heavenly on his tongue.

Her eyes fluttered closed and his soon followed as one hand slid down her side to rest on her hip and the other tangled itself in her hair, tilting her head back slightly to deepen the kiss. His claws pricked at her skin through the silk on her body and it sent shivers of pleasure coursing up her spine, causing her to arch against him. He took advantage of the situation and moved his hand from her hip to her lower back. Their tongues still fought a furious battle for dominance and Kagome wasn't sure she could even say her name.

Tiny hands decided to take action of their own and soon Kagome had one hand tracing the muscles of his back through his cloak while the other wrapped around his neck and pulled him against her body. A low growl purred through his chest and vibrated against her lips as the hand on her back pressed her body up into his. The hard length of his arousal ground into her already hot core and stars formed against the backdrop of her eyelids from pleasure.

A gasp left her throat and broke the contact of their lips, leaving Hiei free to trail searing kisses along her jaw and down the delicate slope of her neck. The beat of her heart sounded loudly in his ears as the flutter of her pulse beneath her skin drew him in. After pressing a heated kiss against the juncture of her neck and shoulder, his fangs lightly grazed the area, causing the young miko's body to tremble in bliss. Nibbles, licks and kisses followed the seductive curve of her shoulder and collar bone down to the hollow of her throat.

Taking her hands from their respective positions on the fire demon, Kagome made to undo the obi that held the silken fabric of her kimono together when the appendages were brushed away. With a flick of his claws, the sash fell away in pieces. Sitting up on his knees, Hiei leaned back slightly to caress the soft skin of her calves before trailing his hands up to her knees. Razor sharp claws gently scored the tender, creamy flesh causing Kagome to shiver in pleasure and bite her lip.

As his hands made slow, torturous progress up the length of the miko's body, his claws grazed the perfect curves of her thighs and caressed the swell of her hips, all the while slowly parting the silk that kept her body hidden from his burning gaze. The feel of his searing hands and deadly claws against her skin sent tremors of lust and desire shooting through her body to pool in her abdomen, a low groan leaving her lips as his hands ran tender paths up her sides.

Soon, the entirety of the soiled garment was parted, leaving the expanse of the miko's creamy flesh – save a silken pair of black underwear - open for his critical inspection. Various scars dotted her body and he fought the urge to growl in anger by kissing and licking every one he could reach. He was a warrior and scars such as these were proof of her strength and courage to him and he thought her all the more beautiful for them. Slipping an arm under her back, Hiei lifted her body from the mattress and used his free hand to slide the material from her shoulders and fling it to a forgotten corner of the room.

Lying her back down with tenderness he didn't know he had, the fire demon stood from the bed and gazed down at her. Stormy blue eyes clouded in lust turned to look at him for a brief second before she flushed and moved to cross her arms over her chest. Kagome squeaked in surprise when Hiei caught her wrists in his hands. As she looked up into his crimson gaze with questioning eyes, he kissed the back of one hand before whispering, "Don't hide from me."

Kami but how he'd wanted to say more than that. He wanted tell her how absolutely beautiful she looked lying there nearly naked, her stormy eyes hazy with desire, her plush lips swollen and red from his kisses, the moonlight caressing her creamy skin. His pants tightened even more and his beast clawed at his soul, wanting to be let loose to taste the delicious morsel in front of him. Hiei held it at bay, not wanting her to experience that side of him from the start and knowing that if he did let that much control slip, she would end up marked.

Not that he was averse to marking her, not in the slightest. In fact, he couldn't think of a single thing more pleasing than to see his mark decorating her shoulder. However, she had already been through so much and marking wasn't necessarily a painless process. Besides that factor, there was the fact that Kagome deserved to make that decision on her own. A mating mark wasn't reversible…it was permanent…and Hiei wasn't entirely sure that she would want such a thing.

Regardless of the love he'd seen shine in her eyes.

Without another word, the Koorime let his cloak slide from his shoulders and drop carelessly to the floor before he bent to untie his boots. They were soon kicked aside as his hands moved to his belts. A slight tinkling could be heard as the buckles came undone and soon, his pants were added to the montage of clothing littering his floor. Kagome stared up at him, her eyes wide with uncertainty and inexperienced appraisal. The fires he had started in her body were continuously raging and seeing him standing there without a stitch of clothing on was nearly an overload for her virgin body.

The lines of his small frame were lean and powerful, the moonlight highlighting the ripples of muscles as they twitched and flexed with adrenaline. Crimson orbs positively glowed and the miko felt her breath hitch in her throat before turning into slightly harder pants. Even though her experience in seeing nude males was limited to the one or two times she had accidentally seen Inuyasha or Miroku after bathing and sex-ed in school, Hiei's body put everything she had ever seen to shame. Just the thought of his skin on hers caused liquid heat to pool in her belly and she felt the fabric of her panties dampen.

As he studied her studying him, the scent of her arousal spiked to an all new high and he found himself fighting the urge to groan. Without waiting another moment, he covered her body with his, causing them both to hiss in pleasure at the first feel of flesh on flesh contact. Nestling himself in between Kagome's creamy thighs, Hiei captured her plump lips in a searing kiss before sweeping open-mouthed kisses down the column of her neck. His hot tongue slithered out to taste her sweet skin as his lips roamed down to the top of her breasts.

Kagome gasped and arched up against her demon lover as his mouth closed over a nipple while he traced his claws teasingly over its pebbled twin. His fangs grazed along her skin as he sucked her flesh into his mouth and a low moan escaped her lips as her hands dove into his hair, delicate fingers twisting around the ebony strands and holding him to her. Soon, his mouth was moving to pay the same attention to the other luscious mound and Kagome was sure she would lose her grip on reality. If just his mouth against her flesh could incite such a reaction in her body, she was sure that she would pass out from anything else.

It seemed almost as if he were reading her mind because after a few moments of mind-blowing ministrations to her breasts, his fiery mouth was moving again, licking and nipping a path down her stomach, his tongue dipping into the crevice of her navel. His claws trailed over the skin just under the waistband of her panties and sent shivers of pleasure coursing through the miko's body.

Soon, cool air tickled across the over-heated flesh of her core and Kagome realized with detached amusement that her panties were no longer were they had been. Hiei rose up on his knees slightly, sliding his hands underneath her thighs to raise her legs, and trailed kisses up the insides of her legs, one limb at a time. His mouth positively watered when the earthy, musky smell of her sex wafted into his nose as he came to the apex of her thighs. Lifting his eyes from her glistening folds, his ruby orbs caught her sapphire ones in a heated gaze as he lowered his mouth and took a tentative lick of her flesh.

Her taste exploded on his tongue, making his member harden painfully, and she gasped in surprise and pleasure. Another lick was soon to follow the first and he savored her juices dancing across his palate. Capturing her fleshy pearl between his lips, he sucked gently at the sensitive bundle of nerves, causing the miko's body to arch up off the mattress as her hands fisted in his sheets until her knuckles were white. As a fang grazed across her bud, a single finger slipped into her dripping folds and Kagome groaned low and deep in her throat as her eyes closed in bliss.

She had learned that there was pain the first time but Kagome was sure that as long as more pleasure like what Hiei was already inflicting on her body were to follow, she wouldn't mind a moment of discomfort. Every nerve and cell of her being was hyper-aware and every touch of his hands or caress of his lips pushed her body higher to a place she had never been. It felt as if a spring was coiling tighter and tighter with each stroke of his finger against her walls and when a second joined the first, she nearly jumped from her skin in pleasure.

Hiei knew she was close to her release – only the first of many if he had any say about it – and he sped up the movement of his fingers as he bit down lightly on her clit. Her walls tightened deliciously around the digits with every beat of her heart and her juices spilled down his hand, heightening the aroma of her arousal and a growl sounded from his throat.

"Oh kami," she said, her voice tight and strained under the weight of her pleasure and she arched against his hand, her walls convulsing as she threw her head back and moaned wantonly. Hiei slid his fingers from her tight body to replace them with his mouth. He lapped at her gently, cleaning off the proof of her pleasure as she came down from her orgasm. Her taste was heavenly and he didn't waste a drop.

As her eyes opened, the fire apparition crawled up her body slowly, his skin gliding against her own sweat soaked flesh with delicious friction. Delicate hands slid up his forearms as he moved over her form coming down torturously slow over his chest and around to his back. As he settled down between her thighs, Kagome raked her nails gently down his back and leaned up to kiss and lick at the sensitive skin of his neck. The combined effort caused a growl of pleasure to bubble up from Hiei's chest and the tiny female raised a satiny leg to caress his muscled thigh as her lips traveled down his throat.

Such a brazen act from such an innocent creature sent the fire demon's senses into overdrive and he rocked his hips against hers with a growl. Kagome gasped and arched into him as her hands stilled and gripped his back when she felt the hard length of his arousal slide against her slick folds. She felt his breath on her ear seconds before she heard him speak, "Are you sure?"

Words seemed to escape her and she could only nod her head in affirmation when he raised his head to look at her. Hiei leaned down until he was only a breath away from her lips and whispered "I'm sorry" before claiming her mouth in a passionate, fiery kiss as he thrust his hips against hers. She was unbelievably tight and so incredibly hot that he wanted to pound into her. Hearing her gasp of pain and smelling the salt of her tears halted his actions and he stilled completely, waiting for the pain to pass and her body to adjust.

He tenderly caressed her cheeks with his fingers as he softly kissed her lips and as her tears slowed, she opened her eyes and moved against him. The pain was already fading away leaving nothing but delicious friction that sent slivers of pleasure up her spine as she moved. Slowly, he slid nearly completely out of her before pushing back in even slower. Soon, he picked up a smooth rhythm and her walls gripped him tightly with every thrust. He buried his head against her neck when her hands slid down to his hips and a purr-like growl came from his chest as she started moving in time with his thrusts.

Kagome was in heaven. At first, the pain had been far worse then she was prepared for but now, feeling the heat of skin against hers as he moved within her was pure bliss. His movements were slow and deep and the spring in her belly started building all over again. She could feel the energy of his youki tingling across her skin and the heat of his body seared against her flesh.

Once he knew for sure that she was far beyond the initial pain of her barrier being broken, Hiei began to pick up his pace. She was hot and tight and felt so good wrapped around him and it seemed as though he had waited forever just to feel so close to her that he wasn't sure how long he could hold back his release, demon or not. His stamina was definitely one to be envied – no less in the bedroom than on the battlefield – and even though he had never really even become winded in his sexual exploits, the pleasure Kagome's soft body sent racing through his blood was nearly too much for him.

As his pace picked up and his strokes within her body became deeper and more urgent, Hiei could feel her walls rippling around him and knew she would soon reach her peak and he was determined to meet it with her. Her soft mewls and groans of pleasure were music in his ears, sounding against a backdrop of flesh smacking flesh and raspy breathing and the hybrid was sure he'd never heard anything more satisfying.

The feel of her miko energy was wrapping around him, slithering over muscles and pale skin and instead of feeling the burn of purification, it prickled at his skin in a tantalizing way that soon sent his mind whirling and his body hummed with pleasure. Hiei captured Kagome's lips in another searing kiss before fluidly rising to his knees, never breaking the connection of their bodies. Slipping his strong arms beneath the miko's soft, creamy legs, he hooked his elbows under her knees. As her body fell open even further to his pursuit, he found himself buried completely in her hot flesh and a low growl built in his throat.

If she had never thought anything could feel more pleasurable than what Hiei was doing to her body, she had been proven horrible wrong. The strength of his arms easily held up her legs and she gasped and arched against him as he slid deeper inside her body, hitting a spot that sent stars dazzling across her vision. The coil in her belly wound its tightest and in an instant, Kagome was falling over the precipice of heaven as it snapped.

Hiei felt her walls shudder around him and tighten in an amazing grip on him seconds before she screamed his name to the heavens. The milking action of her sheath around his shaft brought him right along with her and a bestial roar tore from his throat as he spilled his seed deep within her waiting womb. Stars danced in front of his eyes as he slid down next to Kagome on the bed, his entire body shaking with the force of his release. Wrapping his arms around his beauty's tired frame, he pulled her to his chest and nuzzled into her neck, silently mourning the absence of his mark on her skin.


End file.
